The Conservative peer Michelle Mone assured the government that she was not entitled to "any financial benefit whatsoever" from a PPE company five months before £29m of its profits were transferred into a trust for her benefit.
Leaked emails between Lady Mone and the Cabinet Office reveal that a civil servant asked her to make a declaration that she had no conflict of interest in relation to the company, PPE Medpro, which she had recommended to ministers in May 2020.
Mone stated that she had "no conflicts whatsoever" and that she was not "entitled to any financial remuneration or financial benefit whatsoever".
The civil servant then asked for clarification about the involvement of Mone's husband, the Isle of Man-based financial services businessman Doug Barrowman.
She replied that "Doug is a very philanthropic individual" who "wanted to help the NHS" and was negotiating to lower the prices the government was paying for PPE.
The leaked emails raise new questions over whether Mone, who was appointed to the House of Lords by David Cameron in 2015, was fully transparent about her and Barrowman's involvement and financial interest in PPE Medpro before the government awarded the company multimillion-pound contracts.
In June 2020, within weeks of Mone giving these assurances, the government awarded PPE Medpro two contracts to supply PPE, worth a total of £203m.
Three months later Barrowman was paid at least £65m from the profits on those contracts, according to documents produced by HSBC bank and seen by the Guardian. He secretly transferred £29m from those profits to an offshore trust set up to benefit Mone and her children.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) is conducting a long-running investigation into Mone and Barrowman for potential 24 fraud and bribery offences relating to the procurement of the PPE Medpro contracts. The couple deny any wrongdoing.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Swiss police make arrests over reported death in 'suicide' pod
Swiss police have opened a criminal investigation and arrested a number of people after the suspected death of a woman in a so-called suicide capsule.
Durán on target from the spot as Aston Villa pass nervy test
As Emiliano Buendía wheeled towards the nearest corner clenching his fists in celebration, in front of the bank of 1,848 travelling Aston Villa supporters, it was the kind of cathartic moment he longed for on the darker days of his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury.
Bolton recall spirit of Allardyce era in pursuit of upset
Wanderers had a reputation for riling Wenger's Arsenal in the early 2000s and they are hoping for another shock
Brook unbowed with masterful ton to drive England home and dry
On a chilly night at Chester-le-Street came an England performance to warm the cockles of the hardy home supporters.
England set to name El-Abd as defence coach after Jones exit
Steve Borthwick is expected to appoint Joe El-Abd as England's new defence coach following Felix Jones's shock resignation amid a summer of upheaval.
Union anger after Boeing makes 'divisive' final offer to end strike
A union representing 33,000 striking Boeing workers has reacted with anger at what the aircraft maker called its \"best and final\" pay offer of a 30% rise over four years.
Brexit checks put plant and flower trade with EU at risk, say UK firms
Exporters of plants and flowers from mainland Europe are turning their backs on supplying Britain as \"painful\" new Brexit border checks are pushing some trading relationships to \"breaking point\", garden centres and nurseries have warned.
Tui expects leap in profits as winter trip bookings rise
Europe's largest travel company expects its annual profits to rise by at least a quarter, helped by people spending more on winter breaks to sunny destinations such as Egypt, Cape Verde, Thailand and Mexico.
Interest rates unlikely to go to near-zero again, Bank governor says
The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, has said he expects interest rates to fall gradually but warned consumers not to expect a return to near-zero levels.
Firms question pre-budget timing of investment event
Business leaders have warned that the government's plans for a major global investment summit are in danger of falling flat, amid growing frustrations over the high costs of involvement and its timing two weeks before the budget.