Chancellor orders investigation into £600million of PPE contracts

​Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a block on any Covid-era PPE contract being abandoned or waived until it has been assessed by the new Covid Corruption Commissioner. The government are currently inviting applications for the position until the end of September.

This decision will affect £647 million of Covid PPE contracts where contract recovery was previously earmarked to be waived. 
It follows action already in motion to cut government waste and curb unnecessary spending. In her statement to Parliament in July, the Chancellor pledged to halve government consultancy spend from 2025-26, with savings targets of £550 million this financial year and a further £680 million in the next already announced.

​Excessive use of ministerial travel by aeroplane and helicopter is also being cutdown, with confirmation that a military contract for a helicopter also used for VIP trips, is not being renewed at the end of the year as previously announced.