Wednesday 15th December 2021

(2 years, 10 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan (Con)
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I agree with the noble Baroness that if we could achieve that, it would be a great result. One of the workstreams that the Construction Leadership Council is taking forward, as I mentioned in my Answer, is based on the Get It Right Initiative, which would see firms with a demonstrable trade record of good performance and quality products not having retentions levied on them. In my view, that is a hopeful development.

Lord West of Spithead Portrait Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
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Does this issue have any impact on the shipbuilding industry at all?

Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan (Con)
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I am delighted to see that the noble Lord has turned up well dressed to ask such a noble question—he puts the rest of us to shame. My understanding is that the Ministry of Defence is one of the central government departments that has done much to abolish the use of retentions in its contracts.