The National Crime Agency (NCA) opened an investigation into PPE Medpro in May 2021 into suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement of PPE.

The company was awarded government contracts worth more than £200m after Baroness Mone recommended the firm to ministers during the Covid pandemic.

Baroness Mone, 52, and Mr Barrowman, 59, have denied wrongdoing.

In June 2024, the NCA said an unnamed 46-year-old man from Barnet, north London, had been arrested as part of its investigation.

To date, no criminal charges have been brought and the Crown Prosecution Service has not been formally instructed by the NCA.

On 9 December 2024, the Covid inquiry said it had received an application from the NCA for a restriction order, claiming there was a risk of harm to its investigation if sensitive evidence about PPE Medpro was heard in public.

The NCA originally wanted to prevent the inquiry hearing any evidence about the company, saying “other contracts could be selected”.

It then asked for 26 witness statements written by its staff to be withheld, and an order to be made preventing certain questions about the firm to be asked in the inquiry room in a public session.

It argued those restrictions should include the identity of any person under investigation; evidence relating to the opinion of any government official concerning PPE Medpro’s contracts; and evidence about payments to the company and who ultimately benefited.

In its submission, it said there was a “realistic possibility that criminal charges against one or more individuals will flow from the investigation”.

The Department of Health later asked for the terms of any restriction order to be widened to include any “financial material and correspondence” relating to the purchase of PPE from the company, although that request has been rejected by the inquiry.