The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has begun its £122m legal claim in the High Court against PPE Medpro, a company linked to Conservative peer Michelle Mone, for allegedly supplying unusable sterile surgical gowns during the Covid pandemic. This follows a National Crime Agency investigation and asset freeze related to the contracts processed via the 'VIP lane'.
DHSC’s £122m claim against Michelle Mone-linked company reaches high court
Michelle MoneHouse of LordsHealthUKPolitics
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has begun its £122m legal claim in the High Court against PPE Medpro, a company linked to Conservative peer Michelle Mone, for allegedly supplying unusable sterile surgical gowns during the Covid pandemic. This follows a National Crime Agency investigation and asset freeze related to the contracts processed via the 'VIP lane'.
Trending- 1 2015: Michelle Mone was appointed to the House of Lords by David Cameron.
- 2 2020: PPE Medpro's contracts were published; PPE Medpro stated pride in their products.
- 3 April 2022: The National Crime Agency executed search warrants on Mone and Barrowman's homes.
- 4 November 2022: The Guardian reported that leaked HSBC documents showed £65m from PPE Medpro's profits paid to Barrowman's accounts.
- 5 December 2022: The DHSC sued PPE Medpro; Michelle Mone took a leave of absence from the House of Lords.
- 6 November 2023: Michelle Mone and Doug Barrowman acknowledged for the first time their involvement in PPE Medpro.
- 7 December 2023: Michelle Mone admitted in a BBC interview that she had lied to the media.
- 8 January 2024: The Crown Prosecution Service obtained a court order freezing £75m of Mone and Barrowman's assets.
- 9 Wednesday (this week): The High Court will begin hearing the DHSC's legal claim against PPE Medpro.
- Legal proceedings against PPE Medpro in the High Court
- Potential recovery of £122m plus £11m for storage and disposal costs by the DHSC
- Ongoing criminal investigation by the National Crime Agency into Michelle Mone and Doug Barrowman
- Freezing of £75m of Mone and Barrowman's assets
What: The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has begun its £122m legal claim in the High Court against PPE Medpro, a company linked to Conservative peer Michelle Mone, for allegedly supplying 25m sterile surgical gowns that were rejected after delivery to the UK.
When: The High Court hearing begins on Wednesday (this week). The DHSC sued in December 2022. The contracts were published in 2020. Michelle Mone was appointed to the House of Lords in 2015. The Guardian reported on leaked HSBC documents in November 2022. Mone and Barrowman acknowledged involvement in November 2023, and Mone admitted lying in December 2023. The NCA executed search warrants in April 2022, and the CPS froze assets in January 2024. The article was published on June 11, 2025.
Where: High Court (UK), UK, Isle of Man (where Doug Barrowman is based), China (where gowns were manufactured).
Why: The DHSC alleges the gowns were not sterile, had invalid and improper technical labelling, and could not be used within the NHS for any purpose. They are seeking to recover the full £122m paid, plus £11m for storage and disposal costs, and interest.
How: The DHSC initiated a legal claim against PPE Medpro. The case is now being heard in the High Court. This legal action is separate from the ongoing criminal investigation by the National Crime Agency.