All 2 Debates between Angela Eagle and Bill Esterson

Covid-19: NAO Report on Government Procurement

Debate between Angela Eagle and Bill Esterson
Wednesday 9th December 2020

(4 years ago)

Westminster Hall
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Bill Esterson Portrait Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend for securing the debate. PPE Medpro was incorporated on 12 May and was awarded a contract for £122 million for single-use disposable medical robes, which it was going to import. The contract was not advertised, but the company had a link to a Conservative peer. By contrast, my constituents who own Florence Roby spent months trying to get a contract for multi-use medical robes, which can be used up to 100 times. They were given the run-around and, after months, they had to give up and lay off staff. Is that contrast not a perfect example of everything that the National Audit Office highlights as being wrong with procurement in this crisis? This is a missed opportunity to have environmentally sustainable production and value for money, with reusable, not single-use, equipment.

Angela Eagle Portrait Ms Angela Eagle (in the Chair)
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Order. Wind up the question, please.

Bill Esterson Portrait Bill Esterson
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This is a missed opportunity to support the local economy and workers. Instead, we have imports, not local jobs, and opportunism, with the use of fast-track access to the Government party.

Finance Bill

Debate between Angela Eagle and Bill Esterson
Thursday 15th July 2010

(14 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Bill Esterson Portrait Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)
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At a time when we need to encourage more people to make pension provision, does my hon. Friend think that these proposals will help? My concern is that having a minimum might reduce the numbers of people providing for their retirement rather than increase them.

Angela Eagle Portrait Ms Eagle
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My hon. Friend raises a reasonable point. Changes in this area have to be made very carefully to avoid the law of unintended consequences, especially when large amounts of tax-privileged income are at stake. The Minister knows that, which is why she said that there would be no increase in tax-avoidance opportunities.