Boris signs away drugs meant for 999 services

Boris Johnson has signed away 100,000 tablets of the flu drug being kept for London's emergency services.

The Mayor offered the entire City Hall stockpile of anti-viral Tamiflu to Whitehall and the NHS, without realising they were for police, fire and ambulance crews, critics claimed today.

Former mayor Ken Livingstone bought the drugs for £1million several years ago in order to keep essential services running in the event of a flu pandemic. But Mr Johnson decided this week to sign off a move by junior officials to offer the Tamiflu to Whitehall and the NHS.

City Hall sources say the decision was taken without consulting the Met Commissioner or London Fire Commissioner. There is doubt over whether it is legal for the Mayor to hand over free stocks that were bought for London rather than the country as a whole.

It is understood that the use-by date on the Tamiflu stocks is early next year but critics say they could easily be used for London's key workers now.

A spokeswoman for the Mayor said: "Financial and legal officials at the GLA have approved this course of action as offering the anti-virals to the relevant authorities is the best way of ensuring London is properly prepared and protected." The Mayor's office says he wants guarantees from central government that the emergency services will still get their share of Tamiflu stocks. Critics say he has no formal agreement that this will happen.