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Owen Paterson: Call for investigation into Randox contracts

Reuters Owen PatersonReuters
Owen Paterson has been at the centre of a row over how to police MPs' conduct

There must be an investigation into how County Antrim firm Randox was awarded contracts for Covid testing by the government, Labour has said.

The call was made during an emergency Westminster debate on standards rules and how the case of former secretary of state Owen Paterson was handled.

Mr Paterson resigned as MP for North Shropshire last week.

He was found to have breached lobbying rules while working as a paid consultant for two firms.

One of them was Randox.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there must now be "full transparency".

He told MPs that Randox had been awarded two contracts worth about £500m for Covid testing equipment.

The first, valued at £133m in March, was for testing kits and laboratory processing.

Last October, the company received an extension worth £346m to increase lab capacity over the winter.

The Department of Health in London confirmed these contracts were awarded without being advertised under rules which allow for one supplier capable of delivering the equipment or because of extreme urgency brought about by unforeseen events.

Sir Keir said if Prime Minister Boris Johnson was interested in "restoring trust", then a full investigation needed to take place.

Randox has been asked for a response to Labour's call.

PAcemaker RandoxPAcemaker
Sir Keir Starmer said that Randox had been awarded two contracts worth about £500m for Covid testing equipment

Mr Paterson has been a paid consultant for clinical diagnostics company Randox since 2015 and to meat distributor Lynn's Country Foods since 2016, earning a total of £100,000 a year on top of his MP's salary.

MPs are allowed to have these jobs, but are not allowed to be paid advocates - using their influence in Whitehall for the company's gain.

The Commons Standards Committee concluded that Mr Paterson had breached this rule on paid advocacy by:

  • Making three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and the testing of antibiotics in milk
  • Making seven approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Lynn's Country Foods
  • Making four approaches to ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology

Mr Paterson was also found to have broken conduct rules by:

  • Failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn's Country Foods in four emails to officials at the Food Standards Agency
  • Using his parliamentary office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his clients
  • And in sending two letters relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper