Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said he had not been happy that clinical advice was below World Health Organisation standards

The health secretary said today that he had not been comfortable with initial advice given to NHS staff on what personal protective equipment to wear during the coronavirus pandemic.

Matt Hancock told MPs on the health and social care select committee that early guidelines were below World Health Organisation standards and had been “fitted to what the stocks are”.

Public health chiefs have always insisted their recommendations were based on scientific evidence and not availability of equipment and that they were equal, if not identical, to WHO guidance — and in some cases went further.

Mr Hancock said this morning: “On exactly what PPE is required in what settings, you will understand I have to take clinical advice on that. However, I wasn’t comfortable with