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Matt Hancock has defended his determination to use a chauffeur-driven Jaguar funded by the taxpayer to journey to the Covid inquiry regardless of leaving his authorities job greater than two years in the past.
A spokesperson for Mr Hancock, the unbiased MP for West Suffolk, mentioned it was “entirely reasonable” for the federal government to prepare his journey to the inquiry on condition that he was attending as the previous well being secretary.
The Daily Mirror reported that Mr Hancock used a ministerial automotive on three events in June, November and December final 12 months when travelling to the inquiry however the Department of Health and Social Care wouldn’t reveal how a lot the journeys had price.
The division mentioned it had an obligation of care to present sufficient safety for the previous well being secretary, who has confronted intense criticism over his dealing with of the pandemic.
Secretaries of state are supplied with chauffeur-driven automobiles whereas they’re serving in authorities however lose the privilege as soon as they depart
(PA)
Pictures from the inquiry confirmed Mr Hancock stepping out of a Jaguar on a minimum of one event.
A spokesperson for Mr Hancock mentioned: “Matt attended the Covid inquiry entirely in his capacity as having been the secretary of state during the pandemic. It is entirely reasonable that the government should take care of his travel and security arrangements in this instance.”
Secretaries of state are supplied with chauffeur-driven automobiles whereas they’re serving in authorities however lose the privilege as soon as they depart.
Mr Hancock resigned from his place as well being secretary in shame in June 2021 after he was caught breaching the Covid guidelines he had helped to draw up by kissing his colleague Gina Coladangelo in his workplace.
The MP is amongst quite a lot of different present and former authorities ministers to have attended the inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett.
Boris Johnson, the previous prime minister, Rishi Sunak, the present prime minister and Sajid Javid, who changed Mr Hancock as well being secretary, have every given proof.
Since leaving the federal government, Mr Hancock has appeared on actuality TV exhibits I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, netting him a reported £445,000.
Giving proof to the inquiry in December, Mr Hancock admitted admitted his affair with Ms Coladangelo breached lockdown guidelines.
The former well being secretary giving proof at Dorland House in London
(PA)
He informed the inquiry “the lesson for the future is very clear” in that “it is important that those who make the rules abide by them”, including: “I resigned in order to take accountability for my failure to do that.”
Mr Hancock additionally defended his determination to discharge hospital sufferers into care properties with out testing them for Covid as “rational and reasonable”, including: “Nobody has yet brought to me a solution to this problem that I think, even with hindsight, would have resulted in more lives saved.”
He has additionally come below heavy criticism from different officers who’ve given proof to the inquiry, together with Helen MacNamara, the previous deputy cupboard secretary, who mentioned Mr Hancock displayed “nuclear levels” of confidence at the beginning of the pandemic.
She claimed that Mr Hancock “regularly” informed colleagues in Downing Street issues “they later discovered weren’t true”.
Mr Hancock, who misplaced the Conservative Party whip after going to the jungle whereas parliament was nonetheless sitting, introduced in December 2022 that he would stand as an MP on the subsequent election.
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