Matt Hancock has “breached the ministerial code”, according to Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner, after reports revealed the health secretary and his sister owned shares in a company awarded NHS contracts.
Labour has demanded Hancock explain his family business “sleaze” and why he did not declare the family connection after the BBC revealed NHS Wales gave the company, Topwood Ltd., £300,000 in business this year.
“The Health Secretary needs to explain in a public statement today how a company owned by his family members which he holds shares in came to win a place on a business services framework to provide services to the NHS, as well as explaining why he did not declare that the company is owned by his family members,” Rayner said.
The government has denied any conflict of interest and health is a devolved matter in Wales. According to the BBC, public contract records show “the NHS awarded Topwood a place in its Shared Business Services framework as a potential supplier for local NHS trusts in England in 2019, the year after Mr Hancock became health secretary”.
“It appears that the Health Secretary has breached the Ministerial Code, and the public deserves answers, “ Rayner continued.
“It is clear that Tory sleaze and cronyism has engulfed this government, making it even more urgent that the government publish the delayed Register of Ministers’ Interests in full immediately.