Man arrested in Medpro PPE investigation | UK news

The National Crime Agency is investigating alleged wrongdoing in the procurement of PPE contracts by the consortium.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into PPE Medpro.

The ANC is investigating alleged criminal offenses in the procurement of PPE contracts by the consortium.

The suspect, from Barnet, north London, was detained at his home on Wednesday morning, the agency said.

He has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud and attempting to pervert the course of justice and is being interviewed by NCA officers.

PPE Medpro, a consortium led by Baroness Michelle Monethusband Doug Barrowman, has been awarded government contracts worth more than £200m to supply personal protective equipment after Lady Mone recommended him to ministers.

Lingerie entrepreneur Lady Mone, 52, and Mr Barrowman, 59, have faced controversy over so-called “VIP lane” contracts awarded to firms to supply items designed to protect against infection with coronavirus during COVID pandemic.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has since issued breach of contract proceedings over the 2020 gown supply agreement.

PPE Medpro defends the legal action.

And the pair deny any wrongdoing.

Read more:
Who is Michelle Mone and what is the PPE controversy?

In January this year, Mr Barrowman said his family had been “treated like a punching bag” over “dismal failures” by ministers to purchase PPE during the pandemic.

In a statement released by Lady Mone on X, he said it “fits the agenda” of the UK government to “house” him and his wife.

Lady Mone is a businesswoman and the founder of the lingerie company Ultimo.

Born in Glasgow, she left school with no qualifications at 15 and went on to launch businesses in diet pills, fake tans and cryptocurrencies. She became a Conservative life peer in 2015.

She took a leave of the House of Lords in 2022 to “clear her name of the accusations that have been wrongfully brought against her.”