Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Stephens Excerpts

Thursday 31st March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Steve Barclay]

I absolutely concur that we are better together as the United Kingdom. The ability shown in the pandemic to act across the United Kingdom, including through the firepower of Her Majesty’s Treasury in respect of schemes such as furlough, has amply demonstrated that.

On the hon. Gentleman’s more specific point, one material thing that can be done is on the visibility of the pipeline of available contracts. There is around £250 billion-worth of public procurement and around £50 billion-worth of central Government public procurement, and I am extremely keen that SMEs in Northern Ireland are able to get visibility of that pipeline, so that we can tap into the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of which the hon. Gentleman speaks.

[Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP)]

8. What progress his Department has made on reducing red tape since the UK’s departure from the EU.

[Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) (Con)]

14. What progress he has made on implementing the recommendations of the Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform report published on 16 June 2021.