I for one have never been arguing that the EU is particularly efficient.

The government should have been pursuing PPE via the EU andindependently from overseas and from local providers. There is no reason at all why pursuing one means you do not pursue the others. Nor does it matter too much in itself whether the EU has yet delivered. Of course, we would prefer it if it did, but if there were a large supply in the offing you should seek it, wherever it comes from, even if it takes several months to arrive. That is actually the logic that has been used for ventilators. If Dyson could deliver many times the number that our domestic resources can, it is worth trying to get them to do that even if it takes months to arrive. (Not that I think Dyson can, but that is the logic.) Meanwhile, of course, you get as much domestic and other supply as you can, and if the EU or Dyson never delivers, well, you are no worse off.