Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to make it easier for small businesses to access the tendering process for government contracts.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
To make it easier for small businesses to access the tendering process for government contracts, we have removed unnecessary bureaucracy such as pre-qualification questionnaires from low value central Government contracts. All central Government procurements over £10k must now be advertised on Contracts Finder, which has introduced unprecedented transparency to the range of opportunities available.
In addition, the Government’s appointment of Crown Representatives for SMEs and voluntary bodies has ensured that the voice of both SMES and voluntary sector organisations is heard inside Whitehall.
Our ‘Mystery Shopper’ scheme allows suppliers to report bad procurement practice, and we have published a series of “top tips” videos to help SMEs and voluntary organisations pitch for and win government contracts.
Building on these reforms, we are now taking forward Lord Young’s recommendations to create an SME-friendly ‘single market’ for public procurement including through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what savings the Efficiency and Reform Group has identified in each year since 2010.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
Savings delivered by the Efficiency and Reform Group in each financial year since 2010 are as follows:
Savings delivered in each year are normally measured against a 2009/10 baseline and are a mixture of recurring and non-recurring savings.
All savings figures have been verified by the Cross Department Internal Auditors and reviewed by the NAO.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps he has taken to reduce waste across Government.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
The Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group was formed in June 2010 to drive reforms that improve public services, deliver savings and reduce wasteful expenditure.
On 10 June my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor and I announced savings through efficiency and reform of central government of £14.3bn for 2013-2014 against a 2009/10 baseline. These savings are both recurring and non-recurring items and include £5.4bn from procurement and commercial savings, £3.3bn in project savings and £4.7bn from workforce reform and pensions savings.
Asked by: Justin Tomlinson (Conservative - North Swindon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have participated in National Citizen Service schemes in (a) England and (b) North Swindon in each year since 2010.
Answered by Brooks Newmark
National Citizen Service has been run in England since 2011. In the first year of pilots 8,434 took part and in the second 25,377. In 2013’s session there were 39,994 participants.
The 2014 NCS programme is ongoing and the number of participants will be reported as part of an independent evaluation following the conclusion of the programme.
Details of participation rates have been held at local authority level since 2012. In Wiltshire there were 69 participants in 2012 and 174 in 2013’s session.