Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

PPE: Distribution to Scotland

Wednesday 20 May 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • We are working closely with the devolved nations to ensure supplies of PPE, both domestic and imported, are distributed equally across the four nations.
  • Regular discussions have been held with the Scottish Government on procuring PPE.
  • An incident involving improperly labelled PPE in Prestwick airport highlighted issues but underlined the importance for NHS workers, careworkers, and the UK as a whole to prioritise this issue.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Neale Hanvey
Scotland Business & Trade
Context

The question addresses concerns about the equitable distribution of PPE across different parts of the UK, particularly focusing on Scotland.

Question

What steps are being taken to ensure the equitable distribution of imported personal protective equipment to Scotland?

Answer from Douglas Ross

We are working closely with the devolved nations to ensure supplies of PPE, both domestic and imported, are distributed equally across the four nations. Discussions continue on this issue, highlighting the need for coordinated efforts without inter-regional competition in international procurement.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures or timelines for equitable distribution were not provided.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Neale Hanvey
NHS Scotland
Context

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the Scottish Government's system for procuring and distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS is more efficient than that experienced by frontline medical staff in England.

Question

Despite the England-only designation of some PPE imports, what discussions has the Minister had about the efficiency of the PPE procurement and distribution systems in Scotland compared to those in England?

Answer from Douglas Ross

Regular discussions have been held with the Scottish Government on procuring PPE. An incident involving improperly labelled PPE in Prestwick airport highlighted issues but underlined the importance for NHS workers, careworkers, and the UK as a whole to prioritise this issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details of efficiency comparisons or specific discussions were not provided.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email