Karl Turner – 2022 Parliamentary Question about Arco Being Shunned for Contracts

The parliamentary question asked by Karl Turner, the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, in the House of Commons on 6 December 2022.

Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab)

How can the Minister possibly square the fact that Arco, a leading clinical PPE supplier to the NHS since its inception —the company has existed in Hull for more than 100 years—did not get a sniff of a contract from the Department of Health and Social Care because it was nowhere near a VIP lane? He should be saying sorry from the Dispatch Box, not all this nonsense. Just ‘fess up and say sorry.

Will Quince

There were lots of words there, and lots of aggression. [Interruption.] Let us be frank, there was.

I will address many of those points. I fear the hon. Gentleman forgets the pressure under which civil servants were working at the time and the pace at which decisions had to be taken. [Interruption.] If he would like to write to me with those exact conditions—

Karl Turner rose—

Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)

Order. The hon. Gentleman must allow the Minister to answer. It is not fair to shout back as soon as he starts answering.

Will Quince

The hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner) will know that civil servants had to take decisions about speed, pace and quantity. They were looking at contracts that would get the most amount of PPE for the best value for money as quickly as possible.