Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Helen Hayes Excerpts
Thursday 17th December 2020

(3 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Julia Lopez Portrait Julia Lopez
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We have now published in full all the contracts for personal protective equipment. There are some difficulties in doing that, which, as I say, I set out last week in the Westminster Hall debate. This week we have launched a Green Paper on public procurement, and we will be introducing a number of changes to our existing procurement regime when the transition period is over, which will improve the way we do things in future.

Helen Hayes Portrait Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) (Lab)
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The Minister mentions the Green Paper on procurement, which the Government published this week. The foreword to the Green Paper acknowledges the need to

“strengthen our longstanding and essential principles…of transparency, ensuring value for money and fair treatment of suppliers.”

With serious concerns being raised about the multiple contracts awarded by the Government, with no competition, to companies with strong connections to the Tory party and no clear track record of delivery, will the Minister put those warm words into action now and extend the Freedom of Information Act to all private companies, such as Serco, delivering public services?