Ministers and senior officials are required to publicly declare any meetings with stakeholders or private companies. But no public record exists of any meetings held by Baroness Harding, a Tory peer and ally of shamed minister Matt Hancock. The National Audit Office reported in December that 70% of contracts handed out by Test and Trace were awarded without competition. Jo Maugham, Director of Good Law Project said: "You appoint your friends to key public sector posts - with predictably disastrous public health consequences. The Mirror has been unable to find such a register for NHS Test and Trace, and Baroness Harding is not included in the overall DHSC register.

Source: Daily Mirror July 17, 2021 19:52 UTC