Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Clark of Kilwinning Excerpts

Tuesday 4th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Damian Green]

When the hon. Lady refers to my Department, I should point out that it is the Home Office, where I also have a responsibility, that leads on Hillsborough. We are absolutely determined to do what she says through the Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation, which is ongoing, and the coroner’s action, which is due to start next month. I know the families are very much looking forward to those as a way of getting to the truth.

[Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)]

16. What his policy is on the tendering of shared services; and if he will make a statement.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Chris Grayling)]

As part of the next generation shared services programme, the Ministry of Justice is reviewing the options available for the future delivery of our shared services.

[Katy Clark]

A foreign multinational that has been awarded hundreds of millions of pounds of Government money to undertake work that was previously carried out in the public sector has admitted to exploring options to offshore that work. Surely the Secretary of State accepts that it is the Government’s responsibility to maximise employment in this country. Will he undertake to intervene if necessary to prevent that work from being offshored?

[Chris Grayling]

I have a track record of saying that I do not believe in offshoring UK jobs, and I will always look carefully at any such situation that arises. Whenever possible, the Government should prevent that from happening. I cannot say that it will never happen, however, as these are often decisions with a number of factors behind them, but I am not sympathetic to the offshoring of UK jobs.