Greater scrutiny needed over pandemic contracts, MPs hear

Public contracts appear to be being handed out “like sweeties to people with friends in high places”, MPs have heard.

Raising the issue in Parliament, SNP MP Owen Thompson said that lucrative contracts have been given to firms with little public procurement experience during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Thompson made the comments as he brought forward a ten-minute rule Bill to address concerns around the process of awarding contracts to companies under emergency legislation.

The Bill would require ministers to give a statement to Parliament if a contract is awarded under emergency powers to a person or company in which the minister has a personal, political or financial connection.

Mr Thompson explained that the legislation would help safeguard against the risk of “procurement corruption” and would “restore some trust in the integrity” of the UK’s democratic processes.

The MP for Midlothian told the Commons: “Anyone in public office should be there to serve the public good, not to exploit their position to line the pockets of themselves, their pals or their party donors.

“Yet during this crisis we’ve seen lucrative contracts go to firms with little experience in public procurement but with very clear links to people in power.

“Issues with cronyism are not new, but there’s been nothing of this scale before, nothing so blatantly disregarding due process.

“It could be said that a crony-virus is threatening the health of our public services and emergency action is needed to get the government under control.”