Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Davies Excerpts

Wednesday 21st February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden]

In October last year, the Government produced a code of conduct relating to Government procurement which covered precisely those points.

[Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to promote Government procurement from small and medium-sized businesses.

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr David Lidington)]

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we are committed to supporting them in securing public sector contracts. Our aspiration remains to spend a third of our procurement spend with them by the end of 2022.

[Chris Davies]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer. Does he agree that individual Government Departments have crucial roles to play in promoting the use of small businesses in Government procurement, in order to deliver greater diversity in the firms that are awarded Government contracts?

[Mr Lidington]

I completely agree. We are working with Departments through the Crown Commercial Service to develop detailed SME action plans Department by Department, with every Department putting in place both a ministerial lead and a senior official with a role to champion small businesses. The figures so far show that more than half of Government Departments have increased the proportion they now spend on SMEs.