British Industry and Services: Public Procurement

Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Londesborough

Tuesday 7th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, I am sure that every memo sent by my department will be actively read by every other department. On shipbuilding, the noble Lord is absolutely right—when we were Members of the other place, I sat with the noble Lord through many debates on exactly this issue. On the immediate action that we are taking, we have created the pathfinder sector through the national security exemption in the Procurement Act. The MoD is one of those departments, and we have put a commercial lead in place specifically to look at shipbuilding. I would expect that sector lead to work across government departments to deliver in the way that my noble friend discussed.

[Lord Londesborough (CB)]

My Lords, why is it that, while our SMEs’ share of local government spending has increased to 33%, their share of central government contracts remains flat at just 16%—nowhere near the three-year target. I realise this question may be something of a gift for the Prime Minister in waiting, but perhaps the Minister could comment ahead of the coronation?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I think the noble Lord was here for previous coronations. On SMEs, he is absolutely right. There are many elements of our manifesto that can be delivered only through SME engagement, whether that is on food supply chains —where we have committed to 50% locally-grown produce in public sector food and catering contracts—or more broadly. We are working with SMEs to deliver access. The noble Lord will be aware that, when you have a difference between prime and local contractors, there have to be many ways of accessing government contracts. It may be helpful for the noble Lord to be aware that, of the £400 billion being spent, the Government have set a target for SME use by government of some £7.4 billion, which should be delivered by 2028.

Office for National Statistics

Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Londesborough

Monday 10th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises a very important point about data sharing of statistics. The ONS, which we all talk about regularly, is only one of nearly 200 organisations that provide government data and are governed by the Office for Statistics Regulation. As for how we can move forward, there is a new framework in place. There is also the issue, by the way, of devolution and the impact that that is having on data. There is a framework moving forward for data sharing. It is very difficult. The noble Lord is absolutely right that it was in the Lievesley report. Given that progress was not as speedy as we had hoped, what we are looking to do now, through the recommendations and with the current interim National Statistician, is to implement better processes more quickly.

[Lord Londesborough (CB)]

My Lords, the ONS’s attempt to improve the quality of its data has been challenged by staff members of the Civil Service union, the PCS. They have voted once again in favour of strike action and non-compliance over the ONS’s office attendance target, which is 40%—just two days a week. Does the Minister believe that this level of working from home is consistent with the ONS getting its act together?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, Ministers are clear that we expect people to be in the office 60% of the time, at least. The new ONS leadership is working with unions to resolve this dispute. One of the issues that was highlighted in both the Lievesley and Devereux reviews was culture. It is very hard to effect cultural change if people are not in the office.

Public Sector: Working From Home

Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Londesborough

Thursday 20th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Londesborough]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to assess the impact of working from home on the productivity of the public sector.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent) (Lab)]

Noble Lords will, like me, want to thank the public sector for its continued dedication and for what it does day in, day out. As my noble friend Lord Livermore informed your Lordships’ House in a similar OQ last year, the Government inherited a situation in which public sector productivity remains at 6.4% below pre-pandemic levels. This is clearly unacceptable. Our focus is on fundamental reform of our public services to drive greater efficiency and productivity. Further details will be set out in next week’s Spring Statement and the forthcoming spending review.

[Lord Londesborough (CB)]

I thank the Minister for her response but I am rather perplexed. If economic growth is the Government’s top priority, why are they failing to conduct a full and proper assessment of the impact of working from home across the public sector—not least because the 7% fall in public sector productivity since the pandemic has coincided with a surge in remote working? There are key questions to answer, whether it is by sector or job function, for both management and employees, especially the young. It is not a one-size-fits-all issue, as the private sector is rapidly discovering. Why do the Government remain so resistant to learning?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his question. I am sorry but I do not agree with the sentiment behind it. In the Budget last year, the Chancellor announced a £100 million public sector reform and innovation fund, which has established a “trust and learn” approach to how we can deliver public service reform. We should be very clear that, according to the CIPD, the overwhelming majority of private sector organisations also now operate hybrid working at 60%, which is the same level as in the public sector and the Civil Service.