Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement, published on 13 February 2025, what guidance he has issued to contracting authorities on the (a) National Procurement Policy Statement’s procurement priorities and (b) Employment Rights Bill's mandate for statutory probation periods.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out our vision for public procurement unlocking the full potential of the £400 billion spent annually on public procurement to drive sustainable economic growth and maximise social value to support mission delivery. We are clear that we want public contracts to deliver value for money in procurement through stronger expectations around commercial capability and contract management. The NPPS asks contracting authorities to ensure they have the appropriate procurement and contract management skills and capability necessary to deliver public contracts and encourages the use of collaborative procurement frameworks, where appropriate, to deliver value for money. To support this, a new online register of commercial agreements will increase visibility of frameworks and fees, curbing excessive profits.
The Cabinet Office undertook a programme of stakeholder engagement to inform the development of the NPPS. This included an online survey which received over 436 responses and a series of roundtables with key stakeholders from contracting authorities, small businesses and civil society. We have also met with the Federation of Small Businesses, Enterprise Nation and a large number of SMEs across various sectors to discuss how the government can continue to break down barriers to procurement opportunities through the new procurement regime, supporting jobs and growth across the country. Contracting authorities are best placed to determine how the strategic priorities set out in the NPPS can be incorporated into their overall procurement strategies and individual public contracts.
An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at: https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767.
The Department for Business and Trade leads on the Employment Rights Bill. Guidance will be issued as appropriate in due course. Impact assessments undertaken for the Employment Rights Bill can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement, published on 13 February 2025, what estimate he has made of the cost for contracting authorities of implementing (a) that Statement and (b) the Employment Rights Bill.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out our vision for public procurement unlocking the full potential of the £400 billion spent annually on public procurement to drive sustainable economic growth and maximise social value to support mission delivery. We are clear that we want public contracts to deliver value for money in procurement through stronger expectations around commercial capability and contract management. The NPPS asks contracting authorities to ensure they have the appropriate procurement and contract management skills and capability necessary to deliver public contracts and encourages the use of collaborative procurement frameworks, where appropriate, to deliver value for money. To support this, a new online register of commercial agreements will increase visibility of frameworks and fees, curbing excessive profits.
The Cabinet Office undertook a programme of stakeholder engagement to inform the development of the NPPS. This included an online survey which received over 436 responses and a series of roundtables with key stakeholders from contracting authorities, small businesses and civil society. We have also met with the Federation of Small Businesses, Enterprise Nation and a large number of SMEs across various sectors to discuss how the government can continue to break down barriers to procurement opportunities through the new procurement regime, supporting jobs and growth across the country. Contracting authorities are best placed to determine how the strategic priorities set out in the NPPS can be incorporated into their overall procurement strategies and individual public contracts.
An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at: https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767.
The Department for Business and Trade leads on the Employment Rights Bill. Guidance will be issued as appropriate in due course. Impact assessments undertaken for the Employment Rights Bill can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement, published on 13 February 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure that enhanced procurement obligations do not increase public spending.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out our vision for public procurement unlocking the full potential of the £400 billion spent annually on public procurement to drive sustainable economic growth and maximise social value to support mission delivery. We are clear that we want public contracts to deliver value for money in procurement through stronger expectations around commercial capability and contract management. The NPPS asks contracting authorities to ensure they have the appropriate procurement and contract management skills and capability necessary to deliver public contracts and encourages the use of collaborative procurement frameworks, where appropriate, to deliver value for money. To support this, a new online register of commercial agreements will increase visibility of frameworks and fees, curbing excessive profits.
The Cabinet Office undertook a programme of stakeholder engagement to inform the development of the NPPS. This included an online survey which received over 436 responses and a series of roundtables with key stakeholders from contracting authorities, small businesses and civil society. We have also met with the Federation of Small Businesses, Enterprise Nation and a large number of SMEs across various sectors to discuss how the government can continue to break down barriers to procurement opportunities through the new procurement regime, supporting jobs and growth across the country. Contracting authorities are best placed to determine how the strategic priorities set out in the NPPS can be incorporated into their overall procurement strategies and individual public contracts.
An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at: https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767.
The Department for Business and Trade leads on the Employment Rights Bill. Guidance will be issued as appropriate in due course. Impact assessments undertaken for the Employment Rights Bill can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement, published on 13 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) that Statement and (b) the Employment Rights Bill on public sector procurement timelines.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out our vision for public procurement unlocking the full potential of the £400 billion spent annually on public procurement to drive sustainable economic growth and maximise social value to support mission delivery. We are clear that we want public contracts to deliver value for money in procurement through stronger expectations around commercial capability and contract management. The NPPS asks contracting authorities to ensure they have the appropriate procurement and contract management skills and capability necessary to deliver public contracts and encourages the use of collaborative procurement frameworks, where appropriate, to deliver value for money. To support this, a new online register of commercial agreements will increase visibility of frameworks and fees, curbing excessive profits.
The Cabinet Office undertook a programme of stakeholder engagement to inform the development of the NPPS. This included an online survey which received over 436 responses and a series of roundtables with key stakeholders from contracting authorities, small businesses and civil society. We have also met with the Federation of Small Businesses, Enterprise Nation and a large number of SMEs across various sectors to discuss how the government can continue to break down barriers to procurement opportunities through the new procurement regime, supporting jobs and growth across the country. Contracting authorities are best placed to determine how the strategic priorities set out in the NPPS can be incorporated into their overall procurement strategies and individual public contracts.
An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at: https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767.
The Department for Business and Trade leads on the Employment Rights Bill. Guidance will be issued as appropriate in due course. Impact assessments undertaken for the Employment Rights Bill can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he has issued on publishing (a) details of individual helicopter flights under £25,000 in value on gov.uk and (b) the total annual spend on helicopter flights by (i) each Department and (ii) all Departments.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As was the case under the previous administration, data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings-july-to-september-2024.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 34447 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, which suppliers supply helicopter services under the Ministerial Air Transport administered contract.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the honourable member to the answer given on 18 March 2025 in response to question 36675.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many suppliers have been excluded from public contracts for failing to meet environmental procurement criteria since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
For contracts awarded under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which was established by the previous government, exclusions information is not collated centrally.
However, the Procurement Act 2023 (which came into effect on 24 February 2025) introduces a new requirement on contracting authorities to notify an appropriate authority where a supplier has been excluded.
To date, there has not been a notification of exclusion under the environmental misconduct grounds.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many public contracts awarded by his Department have been awarded to companies with offshore tax arrangements since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
From 1 April 2013, suppliers bidding for contracts over £5million must provide details about its tax returns, including whether tax returns submitted on or after 1 October 2012 have given rise to a criminal conviction for tax related offences which is unspent, or to a civil penalty for fraud or evasion.
The Cabinet Office does not keep records of the tax status of successful suppliers.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of procurement training for his Department has been delivered by organisations affiliated with trade unions since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information on supplier organisations’ affiliations with trade unions is not held.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many procurement contracts awarded by his Department have been terminated due to non-performance since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Cabinet Office has previously not kept a central record of contracts terminated due to non-performance.
When contracts awarded under the Procurement Act 2023 (which came into force 24 February 2025) come to an end, the Contracting Authority must publish a Contract Termination Notice on Find A Tender – the central digital platform for all UK public sector contract notices. No Termination Notices have yet been published for contracts awarded under the Procurement Act 2023.