Senior Civil Servant retracts earlier statement.

Was he or was he not 'got at' by 'Powers That Be' to retract his ealier statement laying blame on the government ???


Coronavirus: Senior civil servant backtracks on claim UK’s failure to join EU ventilator scheme was ‘political decision’
Sir Simon McDonald initially contradicted No 10, saying ministers were briefed on ‘what was on offer’ to UK

The most senior civil servant at the Foreign Office has backtracked on his claim that the UK’s failure to participate in the EU’s procurement scheme for medical kit and ventilators was a “political decision”.

Sir Simon McDonald, the permanent under secretary at the department, initially told MPs that ministers had been briefed by the UK’s mission to the EU on “what was on offer” from Brussels – promoting outrage from opposition parties.


His comments directly contradicted previous government statements on the issue, after No 10 blamed the decision not to participate in the emergency scheme to provide gowns, ventilators and other medical equipment, on a “communication problem” in March.

But hours later – in a letter published by the foreign affairs select committee – Sir McDonald said: “Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, I inadvertently and wrongly told the committee, that ministers were briefed by UKMIS on the EU’s joint procurement scheme and took a political decision not to participate in it.

He added: “This is incorrect. Ministers were not briefed by our mission in Brussels about the scheme and a political decision was not taken on whether or not to participate.

“The facts of the situation are as previously set out. Owing to an initial communications problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint Covid EU procurement schemes. As those four initial schemes had already gone out to tender we were unable to take part.”


Stewart McDonald, an SNP MP who sits on the foreign affairs committee, however, said: “I’m afraid [Sir McDonald’s] letter of clarification to [committee] fails to meet its objective – in fact it raises more questions than it answers. This has longer to run.”

During the session in Westminster on Tuesday afternoon, the Labour MP Chris Bryant asked Sir McDonald why the UK had not taken part in the scheme which aims to provide member states with crucial medical equipment to fight covid-19 in the coming weeks.

The senior civil servant said it was a “political decision”, adding that the government’s representation in Brussel’s had “briefed ministers about what was available, what was on offer and the decision is known”.

Speaking after Sir McDonald’s appearance at the foreign affair’s committee, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told the Downing Street press conference: “As far as I’m aware there was no political decision not to participate in that scheme.”

He added: “When we did receive an invitation in the Department for Health it was put up to me to be ask and we joined, so we are now members of that scheme. But as far as I know that scheme has not yet produced a single item of PPE.”

It comes after the government was widely criticised for failing to join the scheme last month when infections of coronavirus were on the rise in the UK, and at the time a government spokesperson said: “Owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint procurements in response to the coronavirus pandemic.”

Downing Street had claimed there had been a “mix up” which meant emails from the EU about the procurement scheme were not received and would “consider participating in future procurement schemes”.


The lack of British involvement in the schemes led to claims that it was motivated by Brexiteer ideology in Mr Johnson’s administration – a claim denied by Downing Street.

Naomi Smith, of pro-EU campaign Best for Britain, said: “If it was a political decision not to join Europe-wide schemes to bulk-buy PPE and other essential medical equipment, then the government prioritised its own image over the country’s health.

“That decision has been disastrous. Frontline workers deserve much better. We urge the government to seek participation in future schemes as soon as possible, so we can source the medical supplies Britain’s hospitals and care homes desperately need.”

 

Now this situation is getting murkier by the minute !!!


'I don't believe a word of this': Government faces huge backlash after U-turn letter about EU ventilator scheme

Yahoo Staff Writer
Apr 22nd 2020 8:50AM
A Labour MP has rubbished a leading civil servant's claim that the UK wasn't invited to an EU coronavirus ventilator scheme.

Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda, said "I don't believe a word" of a U-turn by Sir Simon McDonald, who is permanent under secretary and head of the Diplomatic Service at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sir Simon initially told the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday that ministers took a "political decision" not to take part in the EU's Joint Procurement Agreement scheme, which would have given the UK a chance to buy ventilators which help coronavirus patients breathe.


However, he later rowed back on the comments, saying in a "clarification" letter to committee chair Tom Tugendhat: "Ministers were not briefed by our mission in Brussels about the scheme and a political decision was not taken on whether or not to participate.

"The facts of the situation are as previously set out. Owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint COVID EU procurement schemes.

"As those four initial schemes had gone out to tender, we were unable to take part."

Bryant, however, rejected this and also claimed health secretary Matt Hancock chaired a Cobra meeting in which the scheme was discussed.

He posted:

I don't believe a word of this. And I'm told COBRA discussed the delicate question of whether to take part with Hancock in the chair. Lewis Goodall on Twitter

— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) April 22, 2020
In a later post, he also rejected Tugendhat's statement that Sir Simon's letter was a "clarification":

It's not a clarification. It's a denial of what he said previously. The committee should ask for a point by point calendar of events because others who were at cobra meetings have different accounts Tom Tugendhat on Twitter

— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) April 22, 2020
Yahoo News UK has contacted the Department of Health regarding Bryant's claims.

Britain would have been entitled to join the EU ventilator scheme as part of its "transition period" agreement with the bloc following its departure on 31 January.

The scheme was designed to reduce competition and cut prices among member states needing ventilators.

Bryant, meanwhile, has previously spoken out about the language used when talking about coronavirus.

Two weeks ago, when Boris Johnson was in intensive care with COVID-19, Bryant said calling the prime minister a "fighter" was "deeply offensive" to those who die from the disease as it "implies they are to blame".