Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has Cabinet colleagues on increasing levels of insourcing.
Answered by Chris Ward
This Labour Government is committed to delivering the biggest wave of insourcing of public services in a generation, ending outsourcing by default.
On 17 June, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and I introduced a new Public Interest Test. From April 2027, departments will assess whether a service can be delivered more effectively in-house before any outsourcing decision is made. This will apply to service contracts of £1 million and above. Departments will also publish insourcing strategies setting out their medium term plans to deliver services in-house.
Additionally, subject to completing a Public Interest Test (PIT), the Cabinet Office will look to bring its building management services, including cleaning and security staff, back in-house as soon as possible, with this process beginning when current contracts end in 2028. Applying the PIT to these services will cover contracts across 83 buildings, including 10 Downing Street and 70 Whitehall (the London HQ of the Cabinet Office).
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he will bring forward a Procurement Bill.
Answered by Chris Ward
The Government will bring forward a Procurement Bill when parliamentary time allows.
In March I announced non-legislative reforms to procurement underpinned by three principles. Firstly, government procurement should do much more to protect national security including by supporting critical UK industries, in line with our international trade agreements. Secondly, it should help deliver a fairer economy. Thirdly, it should be simpler, and open doors for small businesses, start-ups and charities.
I will set out further non-legislative reforms to Parliament shortly.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using post offices to (a) onboard and (b) support people impacted by (i) identity and (ii) digital exclusion in the context of mandatory digital identity.
Answered by Josh Simons
The government will launch a full public consultation on the design of the new Digital ID, and have already started to engage with a range of expert organisations.
At the heart of this will be the largest ever digital inclusion programme ever delivered in this country, to ensure everyone can access this new free ID and benefit from it.
We are considering options like a digitally enabled physical alternative for those without access to technology, as well as in-person onboarding support for those who struggle to engage digitally. This may include Post Offices but that decision has not yet been made and will depend on several different factors.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of Government Car Service cars were manufactured in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
40 cars were manufactured in the UK which represents 37% of the current Government Car Service fleet.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of tableware and crockery used in his Derpartment is made by a British manufacturer.
Answered by Chris Ward
The Cabinet Office does not hold information regarding this, and it would incur disproportionate costs to gather this information.
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to prioritise British products in public procurement.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.
The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British small businesses bidding for work.
The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products.
Alongside this, our new National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s industrial strategies and the sectors vital to our economic growth.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government plans to take to help protect whistleblowers from retaliation in the context of the proposed duty of candour for public bodies.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Prime Minister announced at party conference that the duty of candour Bill will be introduced to Parliament before the next anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in April 2025. The details of this Bill will be announced first to this House. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) serves to protect workers from suffering any detriment as a result of making a protected disclosure.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the rate of remuneration for (a) cleaners, (b) security guards and (c) catering staff in his Department in (i) Greater London and (ii) outside Greater London.
Answered by Oliver Dowden
The majority of facilities management services, which include cleaning, security, and catering, are outsourced to an independent provider with the exception of one central London location that manages their own cleaning and security.
All outsourced and self-delivered facilities management staff are paid the National Living Wage or above.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in his Department that work (a) inside and (b) outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the Real Living Wage.
Answered by Oliver Dowden
No staff in Cabinet Office, No.10 and its agencies that work inside Greater London are paid at a rate below the Real Living Wage for London of £10.20 per hour.
No staff in Cabinet Office, No.10 and its agencies that work outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the National Real Living Wage of £8.75 per hour.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in his Department that work (a) inside and (b) outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage.
Answered by Oliver Dowden
No staff in Cabinet Office, No.10 and its agencies that work inside Greater London are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage of £10.20 per hour.
A total of 85 staff in Cabinet Office, No.10 and its agencies that work outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage of £10.20 per hour. They are all paid above the National Real Living Wage.