Government 'fast and loose' over Covid contracts

The Government failed to fully document processes on the way to awarding Covid testing contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds, a report has found. However, the National Audit Office (NAO) said it found no evidence Department of Health contracts had been awarded improperly. And it accepted ministers were acting quickly in exceptional circumstances. But the probe criticised 'gaps in the audit trail', with Labour accusing the Government of acting 'fast and loose'. Former health secretary Matt Hancock said the report 'confirms a total clean bill of health on ministers' work'. When Covid hit, ministers had to scale up testing capacity, working with the private sector to secure both services and supplies, the NAO said.