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Matt Hancock is facing pressure to explain how a company with family links, and that he holds shares in, was awarded NHS contracts, as Labour accused the health secretary of a possible breach of the ministerial code.
In the latest MPs’ register of interests – published earlier this week – Mr Hancock declared he now owns shares in the company Topwood Limited, which specialises in secure storage, shredding and scanning of documents.
It emerged last night the company was awarded a three-year £150,000 contract from NHS Wales – run by the devolved government – for confidential destruction of waste last month, just days after Mr Hancock took on the share.
The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, holds at least a 15% stake (15 shares) in his own sister s company, who were previously awarded lucrative NHS contracts as recently as March 2021, it can be revealed.
Last month, a firm named Topwood Limited were handed two contracts worth £150,000 each by the NHS to carry out waste disposal services, including the shredding of confidential documents.
However, in the latest Register of Financial Interests, Mr Hancock has declared that he has been handed a 15% stake in the company.
And, as if that wasn t enough of a conflict of interest, the company is literally owned by Mr Hancock s sister.
By Alison Moore, Jack Serle2021-04-15T20:17:00+01:00
NHS Shared Business Services awarded place on framework contract in early 2019
Matt Hancock did not state in ministerial declarations since becoming health secretary that his sister and other family own firm
In the past month he has declared that he has recently been given shares in the firm himself
DHSC says Mr Hancock made declarations in line with ministerial code, and had no involvement in awarding the contracts
Matt Hancock omitted to declare his connection to a company owned by his close family, despite it winning a place on a framework to provide services to the English NHS in 2019, as well as contracts with the NHS in Wales.