Government hit with legal challenge over failure to publish contract award notices during pandemic

The Good Law Project and three MPs have launched a judicial review challenge amid claims that the Government has repeatedly failed to lawfully publish contract award notices, in respect of contracts connected to COVID-19, which have been awarded.

Law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn said the claimants were challenging the “widespread systemic failure” of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to comply with his duty under regulation 50 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Government policy to publish, within 30 days, contract award notices in respect of contracts for goods and services, worth over £10,000.

“It is apparent to the claimants that contracts awarded in relation to COVID-19 matters have routinely breached regulation 50, with contract award notices routinely being published late and have breached the duty to publish the contract itself,” DPG said.

The Good Law Project has instructed Adam Hundt and Ugo Hayter of Deighton Pierce Glynn, and Jason Coppell QC and Chris Knight of 11KBW Chambers.