London – Pressure intensified on the British government on Wednesday after the European Commission said it had invited Britain to join an EU scheme.
The scheme was for sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE) for health staff at risk from infection with the novel coronavirus.
The commission’s statement contradicted British ministers’ claims that they were unaware of plans for the EU programme, amid criticism of Britain’s failure to address a shortage of PPE in its National Health Service (NHS).
A top civil servant from the Foreign Office told lawmakers on Tuesday that British ministers had been briefed on the EU scheme but had taken a political decision not to join it. He later retracted his statement.
In Brussels on Wednesday, a spokesman said the commission had announced the scheme on January 31.
“The UK was, as all other members of the health security committee meetings were aware of the work that was ongoing and had ample opportunity to express its wish to participate in a joint procurement if it wanted to do so.
“As to why it did not participate, this is obviously something on which we cannot comment,’’ the spokesman said.
The Guardian and other media cited minutes suggesting British officials had attended at least four meetings related to the PPE procurement scheme.
Britain has recorded one of the world’s highest death rates per capita linked to Covid-19, with more than 18,000 deaths reported by Wednesday.
At least 69 NHS staff have died after becoming infected with Covid-19, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
(dpa/NAN)
