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Coronavirus: RAF plane lands in UK with PPE from Turkey Coronavirus: RAF plane lands in UK with PPE from Turkey
(about 1 hour later)
An RAF aircraft has landed in the UK with a delayed delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Turkey amid a row over a shortage in the NHS.An RAF aircraft has landed in the UK with a delayed delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Turkey amid a row over a shortage in the NHS.
The flight arrived at RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of Wednesday morning and is believed to contain up to about half of the promised kit.The flight arrived at RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of Wednesday morning and is believed to contain up to about half of the promised kit.
Other RAF planes are said to be on standby to collect the rest.Other RAF planes are said to be on standby to collect the rest.
The delivery was originally expected to arrive on Sunday, and had been due to include 400,000 surgical gowns.The delivery was originally expected to arrive on Sunday, and had been due to include 400,000 surgical gowns.
It is not clear exactly what supplies the flight contained and no clear reason was given for the delay.It is not clear exactly what supplies the flight contained and no clear reason was given for the delay.
The RAF aircraft that flew the shipment, which left to pick up the delivery at around 17:00 BST on Monday, can carry about 40 tons of cargo - about half of the consignment.The RAF aircraft that flew the shipment, which left to pick up the delivery at around 17:00 BST on Monday, can carry about 40 tons of cargo - about half of the consignment.
On Monday, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the flight had been delayed by problems in Turkey.On Monday, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the flight had been delayed by problems in Turkey.
However, Turkey's ambassador to the UK, Umit Yalcin, said his government only learned about the deal with a private company on Sunday and insisted it had done everything to help.However, Turkey's ambassador to the UK, Umit Yalcin, said his government only learned about the deal with a private company on Sunday and insisted it had done everything to help.
The government remains under pressure for failing to supply enough PPE.The government remains under pressure for failing to supply enough PPE.
On Monday, Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers - which represents healthcare trusts across England - said that while the 400,000 gowns from Turkey would be welcome, NHS staff were getting through approximately 150,000 gowns a day.On Monday, Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers - which represents healthcare trusts across England - said that while the 400,000 gowns from Turkey would be welcome, NHS staff were getting through approximately 150,000 gowns a day.
At the following day's Downing Street coronavirus briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "determined" to make sure that all staff had the necessary PPE. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, care minister Helen Whately said there is a global shortage of PPE and that some deliveries face delays or "don't turn up".
He said work is under way to expand the supply base in the UK and abroad. "The really important thing therefore is that we are working to secure an excess of supply to make sure that we, in due course, will have more than we need and at least what we need," she said.
It came as a number of British companies told the BBC their offers to help had gone ignored. Asked about reports that some PPE is being shipped from British warehouses to countries like Germany, Spain and Italy, she said there is an "international market" in PPE and stressed the importance of maintaining "reciprocal working relationships" with other countries.
She added that the UK is a "net importer of PPE" and has been supplied "many, many times over" by China in return for equipment it sent at the peak of the epidemic in Wuhan.
The delivery from Turkey comes after a number of British companies told the BBC their offers to help had gone ignored.
Ms Whately said 3,000 of the 8,000 companies have been responded to "in some detail". She added that while some of the organisations have established supply chains, others that have been set up in the past few days do not and may be unable to provide the standard of equipment required.
"The government is going through those offers but [is] prioritising getting supply from the ones who we are more confident can deliver the supplies that we need," she said.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the programme it "doesn't matter" if some firms can only make small quantities.
"We need everybody doing what they can as part of this national effort," he said.
It is "understandable" that the government "probably [hasn't] got enough resources" to respond to all requests, he added.
Meanwhile, the government is facing fresh questions over the the time it took to join an EU scheme to bulk buy medical equipment - including potentially life-saving ventilators, protective equipment and testing kit - that could be used to tackle the coronavirus.Meanwhile, the government is facing fresh questions over the the time it took to join an EU scheme to bulk buy medical equipment - including potentially life-saving ventilators, protective equipment and testing kit - that could be used to tackle the coronavirus.