Former Conservative minister Liam Fox has categorically denied any impropriety over a contribution from a COVID testing business he recommended to the government during the epidemic.
According to an email obtained by Sky News from Dr Fox to then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock on 22 June 2020, SureScreen Diagnostics was “exporting huge numbers of antibody tests” to Germany, Spain, and Sweden, and had “performed extremely well in internationally conducted trials.”
Dr Fox attached an email from the film’s director, David Campbell, pleading with him to “continue with official permission in the UK,” before the MP responded, “Would it be possible to forward this on to PHE (Public Health England) and urge them to be in touch with the company?”
“As we move forward, I don’t think the British people will comprehend or accept of broad export of this expertise at a time when we will have a big need at home.”
Barely 7 months later, SureScreen was given a £500 million contract by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to offer a new test that showed if there was a current infection – however, it is unclear whether this was a result of Dr Fox’s email.
SureScreen’s parent firm reported earnings before tax of £67.2 million for the fiscal year ended May 2021.
Dr Fox stated in the Register of Members’ Interests in July 2022 that he had received a £20,000 gift from the same corporation a month earlier.
