UK Health Sec. defends PPE contracts amid ruling

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Tuesday defended his department after a court ruled he had acted unlawfully by not revealing details of personal protection equipment (PPE) contracts signed during the pandemic.Hancock told Sky News that documents had merely been filed late, rather than withheld.

"In normal times, of course, we put the paperwork in on time, but in the middle of a global pandemic, you don't," he said.Britain's high court ruled last week that the government acted unlawfully by failing to disclose details of contracts made during the pandemic despite the "unprecedented" situation.

Hancock was found to have breached his legal obligation to publish contract award notices within 30 days.On Tuesday he insisted the process had been transparent.He defended his department's actions and said if he could turn back the clock, he would have acted in exactly the same way.

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