A high-stakes legal battle begins at the High Court today as the UK government seeks to recover £122 million from PPE Medpro, a company awarded Covid-era contracts following a recommendation from Conservative peer Michelle Mone.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is suing PPE Medpro for the return of funds paid for 25 million sterile surgical gowns supplied in 2020, which were ultimately rejected as unsuitable for NHS use. The department is also claiming an additional £11 million to cover storage, disposal, and associated costs, as well as interest.
The case centres on two contracts worth more than £200 million awarded via the government’s now-infamous “VIP lane”—a fast-track procurement process that gave priority to companies with political connections during the pandemic. PPE Medpro was awarded a £122m gown contract and an £80.85m deal to supply face masks.
At the time, both Mone and her husband, Isle of Man financier Doug Barrowman, denied involvement in the company. However, a series of Guardian investigations later revealed that Mone had personally lobbied ministers, including then-Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, and that Barrowman had received over £65 million in profits from the contracts.
In late 2023, Mone publicly admitted she had lied about her links to PPE Medpro, and Barrowman confirmed he had transferred £29 million into a trust benefiting Mone and her adult children.
While the supplied face masks were accepted and used, the surgical gowns were never deployed. According to the DHSC’s legal filings, the gowns were “non-sterile”, carried “invalid technical labelling”, and posed a risk to patient safety. The government maintains they were “not fit for any purpose within the NHS”.
PPE Medpro continues to deny wrongdoing. In a statement this week, the company said it “categorically denies breaching its obligations” and pledged to “robustly defend” its position in court.
The High Court case is separate from an ongoing criminal investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into the procurement process and the couple’s financial dealings. In April 2022, the NCA raided several properties linked to the pair. Earlier this year, the Crown Prosecution Service secured a court order to freeze £75 million of their assets—an application Mone and Barrowman did not contest. Both deny any criminal wrongdoing.
The case is expected to intensify scrutiny over the government’s use of the pandemic procurement “VIP lane”, which has faced widespread criticism for lack of transparency and due diligence. It also raises questions about the role of peers and politically connected figures in lobbying for lucrative public contracts.
PPE Medpro’s legal team is set to argue that the gowns were produced in China to the correct specifications and were sterile when shipped. The company has claimed its products “undoubtedly helped keep NHS workers safe” and insists the DHSC’s rejection of the gowns was unfounded.
The DHSC has declined to comment on the case while proceedings are ongoing. The trial is expected to last several weeks and could set a significant precedent for future government efforts to recover funds related to pandemic-era procurement.
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Michelle Mone-linked PPE firm faces £122m high court battle with government