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| Turkish PPE flight: only 'slim' chance goods will arrive in UK today | Turkish PPE flight: only 'slim' chance goods will arrive in UK today |
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| Defence sources not hopeful of early breakthrough despite RAF transport plane flying to Istanbul on Monday nightCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage | Defence sources not hopeful of early breakthrough despite RAF transport plane flying to Istanbul on Monday nightCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage |
| There is only a “slim possibility” that an already delayed order of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Turkey will arrive in the UK on Tuesday, British sources have conceded, raising the prospect that the saga over the much-needed shipment could spill into a fifth day. | There is only a “slim possibility” that an already delayed order of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Turkey will arrive in the UK on Tuesday, British sources have conceded, raising the prospect that the saga over the much-needed shipment could spill into a fifth day. |
| An RAF A400M Atlas transport plane is on the tarmac at Istanbul, but it is yet to start loading the 400,000 gowns and other vital equipment for the NHS and is not expected to do so until later on Tuesday at the earliest. | An RAF A400M Atlas transport plane is on the tarmac at Istanbul, but it is yet to start loading the 400,000 gowns and other vital equipment for the NHS and is not expected to do so until later on Tuesday at the earliest. |
| It was sent out on Monday night by the UK in a desperate attempt to put diplomatic pressure on Ankara, despite the fact that Turkey, which is centrally controlling PPE exports during the coronavirus crisis, had not cleared them for release. | It was sent out on Monday night by the UK in a desperate attempt to put diplomatic pressure on Ankara, despite the fact that Turkey, which is centrally controlling PPE exports during the coronavirus crisis, had not cleared them for release. |
| Ministers have been promising for the past 48 hours that the shipment would land back in the UK soon – prompting criticism from leaders of NHS trusts that they were falsely inflating public hopes at a time of acute PPE shortages in hospitals. | Ministers have been promising for the past 48 hours that the shipment would land back in the UK soon – prompting criticism from leaders of NHS trusts that they were falsely inflating public hopes at a time of acute PPE shortages in hospitals. |
| Defence sources said they hoped there would be an update in the afternoon, but there was little confidence of an immediate breakthrough before that. “There is a slim possibility we will be able to get going today,” one said. | Defence sources said they hoped there would be an update in the afternoon, but there was little confidence of an immediate breakthrough before that. “There is a slim possibility we will be able to get going today,” one said. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday, local government minister Simon Clarke would say only that the consignment would be in the UK “in the next few days”. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday, local government minister Simon Clarke would say only that the consignment would be in the UK “in the next few days”. |
| Asked whether the plane had left Turkey yet with the items, he said: “I can’t speak to that, I’m afraid. All I know is it set off last night. It will be with us obviously in the UK in the next few days, which is the core priority.” | Asked whether the plane had left Turkey yet with the items, he said: “I can’t speak to that, I’m afraid. All I know is it set off last night. It will be with us obviously in the UK in the next few days, which is the core priority.” |
| Ministers have been giving what turned out to be false assurances that the equipment was due to arrive imminently in the UK since the weekend. On Saturday the communities secretary announced at the daily Downing Street press conference that the consignment would arrive the following day. But sources have said the UK did not even seek export clearance from Turkey until the Sunday, after Robert Jenrick’s commitment had been made. | |
| Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, then said on Sunday he hoped the shipment would arrive on Monday, a promise tentatively repeated by Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, on Monday morning. “I don’t want to start making more and more promises, but I understand that flight will take off this afternoon and those [gowns] will be delivered,” Dowden said. | Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, then said on Sunday he hoped the shipment would arrive on Monday, a promise tentatively repeated by Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, on Monday morning. “I don’t want to start making more and more promises, but I understand that flight will take off this afternoon and those [gowns] will be delivered,” Dowden said. |
| Two other transport planes remain on standby at RAF Brize Norton ready to embark on a near five-hour flight to pick up the rest of the 84-tonne shipment once the Turkish authorities give the go-ahead. | Two other transport planes remain on standby at RAF Brize Norton ready to embark on a near five-hour flight to pick up the rest of the 84-tonne shipment once the Turkish authorities give the go-ahead. |
| Sources said that the equipment had been ordered on a normal commercial basis by the NHS, but health officials had failed to appreciate that Turkey’s government was taking control of exports and the relevant diplomatic clearance had not initially been obtained. | Sources said that the equipment had been ordered on a normal commercial basis by the NHS, but health officials had failed to appreciate that Turkey’s government was taking control of exports and the relevant diplomatic clearance had not initially been obtained. |
| Along with many countries, Turkey has banned the export of PPE and other vital medical supplies without government approval, leading to lengthy delays in some cases in sending items to other European countries. | Along with many countries, Turkey has banned the export of PPE and other vital medical supplies without government approval, leading to lengthy delays in some cases in sending items to other European countries. |
| The shipment was originally due to arrive on Sunday, the third such consignment to arrive from Turkey this year. | The shipment was originally due to arrive on Sunday, the third such consignment to arrive from Turkey this year. |