A recent high court judgment has advanced the investigation into the Covid contracts associated with Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, regarding the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). Mrs. Justice Cockerill found that PPE Medpro, a company owned by Barrowman, provided defective PPE to the NHS, leading to an order for the company to repay £122 million, the cost of a contract for 25 million sterile surgical gowns awarded in June 2020.
The contract had been facilitated through a “VIP lane,” aimed at prioritizing politically connected individuals. This process has faced criticism for favoring suppliers with political ties over more experienced vendors. For years, Mone and Barrowman initially denied their involvement with PPE Medpro, later acknowledging their roles and admitting to previous misstatements regarding their engagement with the company.
The judicial ruling came after it was established that the gowns failed inspections due to invalid labelling and lack of certification as sterile. The company must repay the funds by mid-October, although it has entered insolvency, raising questions about its capacity to meet this financial obligation. Subsequent comments from both Mone and Barrowman have included accusations against government officials of inflammatory remarks regarding the case.
Despite the substantial profits made from the contracts, expectations for recovery of the £122 million may be low, particularly given the complexities surrounding corporate liability. Current legal frameworks usually protect company owners from personal financial liability. Recovery efforts will need to navigate these legal challenges, and experts suggest that any actions to pierce this corporate veil will be expensive and complicated.
Additionally, ongoing investigations by the National Crime Agency into potential criminal misconduct related to the contracts remain active as they seek to determine if any illegal activities occurred. The case reflects broader issues regarding the awarding of public contracts during the pandemic. Government officials have indicated a commitment to recovering lost funds, but the effectiveness of these efforts remains uncertain.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/oct/11/michelle-mone-doug-barrowman-ppe-medpro-vip-lane-ppe-contracts-dhsc