13 October 2025
James Robertson features in legal press on Covid PPE procurement ruling
Partner James Robertson has been featured in the Law Society Gazette with an article discussing the landmark ruling in Secretary of State for Health and Social Care v PPE Medpro, which concerns the government’s procurement of PPE during Covid.
The case stemmed from the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) contract with PPE Medpro for 25 million sterile surgical gowns at a cost of £122 million, procured via the government's 'VIP lane' during the pandemic. The case drew significant attention due to the involvement of Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, whose consortium of companies includes Medpro.
James explains that the case centres around three breaches of contract and that DHSC is entitled to claim for damages in full. However, Medpro went into administration the day before the judgment was handed down. “As anyone who has ever been involved in such a process can attest, following the money and actually recovering it is often fraught with difficulty,” James notes.
Explaining that the case is likely to be used as a benchmark for future litigation around losses during Covid, James concludes: “What matters above all the bluster and press attention will be the judge’s application of the legal principles involved.”
Read James’ article
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