Ministers are considering allowing the use of out-of-date personal protective equipment to prevent the disposal of some of the 303m items bought by the UK government during the pandemic for almost £300m.
Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the opposition Labour party, asked ministers last week through a written parliamentary question how much PPE stock procured since the start of the coronavirus crisis had expired before use.
Edward Argar, health minister, responded on Monday that about 303m items, which had cost taxpayers £299m, had passed their estimated expiry date. About 16.5bn items had been procured to help the NHS tackle Covid-19, said the Department of Health and Social Care.
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