The UK Government 'missed eight top conference calls or meetings' about coronavirus in the last month, according to reports.
Meetings between EU heads of state or health ministers between February 13 and March 30 were apparently missed by the UK, despite it being entitled to join during the Brexit transition period.
Reuters reports that UK ministers made arrangements to join in lower-level meetings - however, by the time they had organised this, they had missed the deadline to participate in a joint procurement scheme for ventilators.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock admits NHS may not hit ventilator target before virus peak
Now, a top SNP MP has claimed that the UK could have been better prepared for the coronavirus situation if health secretary Matt Hancock had participated in the meetings.
Dr Philippa Whitford, the SNP’s shadow health secretary, told our sister paper The National: “My feeling is had he taken part in these maybe he would have realised earlier from hearing from his counterparts in other parts of Europe just what it is the UK is facing.”
The report comes after cabinet office minister Michael Gove said there was “communication confusion” after the Government missed the deadline to join the ventilator scheme.
READ MORE: Michael Gove admits ‘communication confusion’ over EU ventilator scheme mix-up
A No 10 spokesman said that officials did not get emails inviting the UK to join, and it could opt into future schemes.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously come under criticism amid claims he should have implemented a UK-wide lockdown earlier.
Lockdown was initiated on March 23, when the number of daily deaths was already at 54, unlike other European countries such as Portugal, who brought in the measures after just one death.
The Department of Health has been approached for comment.
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