Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and David Duguid

Thursday 18th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart]

I certainly can. As my hon. Friend will know, Northern Ireland agreed to be part of the new procurement regime when we passed the Procurement Act, which is fantastic. Sadly, that is unlike our friends in Scotland, who will miss out on all the benefits of the best modern procurement framework in the world. That means that small and medium-sized enterprises in his constituency will now have a better opportunity to bid for Government contracts. I very much enjoyed being in Northern Ireland at the end of last year. I am going again in the next few months and would be happy to meet any businesses that he would like to put me in touch with.

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

5. What steps he is taking to improve support for female veterans.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and David Duguid

Thursday 7th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart]

I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend about this and other issues. She will know that the Procurement Bill means we are now looking at the most advantageous tender, which means that value for money remains central but that those seeking to strike up procurement can also look for other factors when deciding which contract to sign. We are very much on the same page.

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

17. What progress his Department has made on strengthening national resilience.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Alex Burghart)]

The hon. Lady will know, because she sat on the Procurement Bill Committee, that we have a new procurement regime coming in, but in the case she refers to it is my understanding that everything was above board and in line with due process.

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

T8. Madam Deputy Speaker, may I join you in wishing my hon. Friend the Minister a happy birthday?Given that the constitution is reserved to this UK Parliament, and given that there did not appear to be much in the way of anything new in the programme for government set out this week, does my hon. Friend agree that the First Minister of Scotland would do well to focus on the real issues that matter to the people and businesses of Scotland, rather than obsessing with breaking up the United Kingdom?

[Alex Burghart]

As ever, my hon. Friend has his finger on the pulse. I was lucky enough to be on a work trip to Edinburgh and Glasgow just before the summer break, and all the people I met there were interested in employment, skills, the state of the health service, and law and order. Not one person raised a second referendum with me, which is because it is not among people’s priorities in Scotland. People’s priorities are the same as those of the Westminster Government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and David Duguid

Thursday 22nd June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart]

The hon. Lady knows that there is a long-standing convention from 1895 that outgoing Prime Ministers have a resignation honours list. To put it in plain language for her, just because that gentleman has been found against in this House, it does not mean that the people who were put forward in his resignation honours list are without merit.

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to recognise the contribution of nuclear test veterans.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and David Duguid

Thursday 11th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

T5. May I first associate myself with the Secretary of State’s remarks about the coronation? I think we can all agree that it was a fantastic event. I add my thanks to the security personnel and armed forces who kept us safe on the day. What steps is the Department taking to improve access to public sector procurement for small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in Scotland?

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Alex Burghart)]

My hon. Friend knows the answer to this question all too well, having been on the Procurement Bill Committee. We are creating access to public procurement for small and medium-sized enterprises as never before. Alas, the Bill will not apply to Scotland because the Scottish Government refused to take part in it. That is a great shame, because it means that small and medium-sized enterprises in Scotland will be deprived of the opportunities that those south of the border will get.