,
Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, has today written to the Cabinet
Secretary demanding an explanation for why failed to
declare a personal interest in his sister's company, Topwood Ltd,
which was awarded a contract to provide waste disposal services to
the NHS in England in 2019. Subsequently, Mr Hancock was gifted
more than 15% of shares in this company.
The demand comes in the wake of continuing revelations around a
lack of transparency in Government procurement, including
inappropriate lobbying by former Prime Minister and the links between Government ministers and the
recently collapsed finance firm, Greensill Capital.
In the letter to , Jonathan
Ashworth said:
“Many serious questions remain unanswered, and no stone must be
left unturned in tackling the culture of cronyism and sleaze that
surrounds this Government.
"I reiterate calls from my colleagues on the Shadow Front Bench
for the Government to publish the delayed Register of Ministers’
Interests setting out Ministers’ financial affairs and interests
by the 23rd April, this is vital to maintain public confidence in
Ministerial decision making."
"This is a matter of the upmost importance for the protection of
democracy in our country and I urge you to take full and thorough
action. You must insist that the Health Secretary explain
himself, and make that explanation available to the public. I
seek your judgement on whether Matt Hancock’s behaviour in this
instance is a breach of the Ministerial code; all those in
Government who have acted inappropriately must be held to
account.
Ends
Full text of letter:
Dear Mr Case,
Re: Health Secretary and Topwood Ltd
I am writing to express my concern at revelations in recent news
of the contracts awarded by the Department of Health and Social
Care for services provided to the NHS in England, to a company
owned and operated by the sister of the Health Secretary and
other members of his family.
Despite the fact that Topwood Ltd, successfully won a tender
competition to secure a place on an NHS Shared Business Services
framework for “confidential waste destruction and disposal” at
the beginning of 2019, the Health Secretary failed to declare a
personal connection. It is also not clear whether Mr Hancock
discussed his family’s involvement in the firm with the Permanent
Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care at the time
when the contract was awarded. Subsequently, Mr Hancock was
gifted more than 15% of shares in this company.
As you will be aware these revelations come in the context of
significant public concern regarding the links between Government
ministers and the recently collapsed finance firm, Greensill
Capital.
The review into supply chain finance and Greensill announced by
the Government is wholly inadequate. I welcome the Treasury
Select Committee’s announcement that it will investigate claims
that the Health Secretary and the Chancellor were both
inappropriately lobbied by the former Prime Minister to secure contracts and Government support for
Greensill Capital.
However, it is clear that there is a wider pattern of behaviour
here. Many serious questions remain unanswered, and no stone must
be left unturned in tackling the culture of cronyism and sleaze
that surrounds this Government.
As the lead Department on propriety and ethics within Government,
it is incumbent on the Cabinet Office to ensure public confidence
in government procurement based on the principles of transparency
and the protection of taxpayer’s money. My role in Opposition is
to ensure proper scrutiny of this, but this important work also
falls to you as head of the Cabinet Office.
I reiterate calls from my colleagues on the Shadow Front Bench
for the government to publish the delayed Register of Ministers’
Interests setting out Ministers’ financial affairs and interests
by the 23rd April, this is vital to maintain public confidence in
Ministerial decision making.
This is a matter of the upmost importance for the protection of
democracy in our country and I urge you to take full and thorough
action. You must insist the Health Secretary explain himself, and
make that explanation available to the public. I seek your
judgement on whether Matt Hancock’s behaviour in this instance is
a breach of the Ministerial code; all those in Government who
have acted inappropriately must be held to account.
As answers on this matter are in the public interest, I will be
releasing a copy of this letter to the press.
