Health Secretary Wes Streeting has criticised Baroness Mone needing to be ‘dragged through the courts’ to pay back millions of pounds owed to taxpayers over faulty PPE
Wes Streeting has criticised Baroness Mone needing to be “dragged through the courts” to pay back millions owed to taxpayers over faulty PPE.
The Health Secretary piled pressure on the disgraced peer as he reiterated his call for her to pay back the multi-million pound bill.
He hinted at tactical plans behind the scenes to claw back the money owed by PPE Medpro – details of which he is keeping hidden to ensure Baroness Mone’s legal team can’t get ahead.
Asked by a caller on LBC about the money owed, Mr Streeting said: “We’re going after it. I have to be careful about what I say next. Because if I say too much about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, that gives Baroness Mone’s legal team some insight that I’d rather they didn’t have.
READ MORE: PPE Medpro owes taxman £39m as Baroness Mone-linked company goes into administration
“But suffice to say, this is such a disgraceful state of affairs and ripping off the taxpayer in any circumstances is unacceptable…. And honestly, Baroness Mone, I mean, clue’s in the title – a member of the House of Lords, no less – she shouldn’t need to be dragged through the courts. She should do the right thing and pay that money back.”
PPE Medpro – – a consortium led by Baroness Mone’s husband Doug Barrowman – was sued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) after it provided 25 million “faulty” gowns during the pandemic.
The Mirror revealed earlier this month that the firm has gone into administration owing £39million to the taxman.
This is on top of £148m in damages, costs and interest that owes to the DHSC after losing a High Court lawsuit over non-sterile gowns
Baroness Mone – best known for founding lingerie firm Ultimo – and Mr Barrowman, who live offshore on the tax haven of the Isle of Man, have reportedly benefitted from £65m in profits from a total of £202m in PPE deals the company secured after she lobbied the Government.
As we revealed in September, the firm was put into administration on the eve of the damning court judgement and new paperwork now reveals it could owe as much as £190m to the taxpayer.
Separately, the couple and the company are subject to an ongoing investigation by the National Crime Agency.
The couple have denied wrongdoing.
Grosvenor Law, acting as Baroness Mone’s legal team, said: “Mr Streeting has not replied to our previous legal letter, asking why he is actively seeking to prejudice a live criminal investigation. Neither has the Prime Minister nor the Chancellor, both of whom have made wildly inaccurate and prejudicial comments about our client.
“You would have thought that a former Director of Public Prosecutions like the Prime Minister would understand the concept of contempt of court. But apparently neither he nor his Health Secretary nor the Chancellor have been given advice on it.
“Our clients have committed no crime, the NCA investigation is basically stalled, the real culprits of COVID fraud have been let off the hook. Our clients are confident that the truth will eventually come out. They have no further comment.”