Dear Department of Health and Social Care,

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I would like to receive information regarding the purchase of face masks by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Specifically I would like to know:

1) How many of FFP2 masks were purchased by DHSC from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020? Please state the number of masks and the cost of purchasing these masks, i.e. 40 million masks for £40million
2) How many of these FFP2 masks had ear-loop rather than head-loop fastenings?
3) How many of the FFP2 masks purchased by DHSC from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 are in use/or have been used by the NHS?
4) Please provide a list of companies that supplied FFP2 masks to DHSC from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020.
5) Please provide a list of companies that supplied FFP2 masks to DHSC from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 and subsequently some/all of the masks have not been able to be used by the NHS.

If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary.

I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

Yours faithfully,
Emma Youle

Department of Health and Social Care

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/
2. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
3. https://www.nhs.uk/
4. https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19/
5. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-support-f...
6. https://www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/
7. http://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/re...
8. https://www.hee.nhs.uk/news-blogs-events...
9. https://www.hee.nhs.uk/news-blogs-events...
10. https://www.goodsamapp.org/nhs/
11. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...

Department of Health and Social Care

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Youle,

Please find attached the Department of Health and Social Care's response
to your recent FOI request. (our ref: FOI-1253546). 

Yours sincerely,

Lauren Der 

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care

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