PLAID CYMRU has urged the European Commission to launch a probe into reports that suppliers of personal protective equipment (PPE) were told to prioritise NHS England.

Leader Adam Price lodged a formal complaint to the commission yesterday arguing that the alleged diversion of PPE breaks EU regulations.

The complaint relates to claims made on Monday by Scottish Care, the main representative body for care homes in the country, that four major suppliers of PPE said they were not sending equipment to Scotland and instead prioritising NHS England.

It followed reports from several care homes in Scotland and Wales that requests they made for PPE had been refused.

Mr Price has now urged the European Commission to open a probe into these allegations.

He claims that it could be in breach of an EU directive which states that member states “shall not prohibit, restrict or hinder the placing on the market of PPE or PPE components.”

The British government said it had not instructed any company to prioritise PPE for one nation over the others.

A spokesman said: “Through this four-nation approach, we’re working closely with the devolved administrations to co-ordinate the distribution of PPE evenly across the UK.”