Oral Answers to Questions

David Evennett Excerpts

Thursday 25th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to increase the opportunities for small businesses to bid for Government contracts.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to increase the opportunities for small businesses to bid for Government contracts.

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

What steps the Government is taking to increase the opportunities for small businesses to bid for Government contracts.

--- Later in debate ---

[Julia Lopez]

I would be very happy to do so. My hon. Friend understands that the Government have tremendous buying power, which we think we can use to drive the recovery. We want to use our procurement reforms to open up many more opportunities to SMEs. We are doing that in a range of ways, which I have discussed, but we also have a new social value model, which explicitly allows greater weight to be given to those bids that will help to drive the post-covid economic recovery.

[Sir David Evennett [V]]

The economic success of our country depends on small and medium-sized businesses and their enterprise and entrepreneurial skills. As the UK seeks to rebuild our economy, does the Minister agree that SMEs should be at the forefront of bidding and securing Government contracts?

[Julia Lopez]

I completely agree. We want to see a much greater variety of companies deliver contracts from every corner of our country, not just because it benefits local economies and communities, but because we think it helps to diversify our risk, creates a more resilient supplier base and delivers some of our critical priorities.