Import of Medical Products 2020-05-12
2020-05-12
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Q1
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Context
The UK has been facing shortages of PPE and other essential medical supplies due to years of austerity, with the government missing opportunities to secure bulk purchases through EU schemes.
Dan Carden criticises the Government's response to the PPE shortage as confusing and chaotic, highlighting a recent procurement fiasco involving unusable gowns from Turkey. He inquires about discussions with Governments of New Zealand and Singapore on supporting global medical supply chains during and after the crisis.
Hands confirms the government's active engagement in reducing trade barriers through various international fora including the G20. He reports delivering 1.22 billion items of PPE to NHS, addressing concerns over Turkish gown procurement, and engaging bilaterally with India to reduce export restrictions on medical supplies.
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