Oral Answers to Questions

Margot James Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd March 2011 Commons Chamber

[James Morris (Halesowen and Rowley Regis) (Con)]

11. What steps he is taking to make Government procurement simpler for small and medium-sized enterprises.

[Margot James (Stourbridge) (Con)]

12. What steps he is taking to make Government procurement simpler for small and medium-sized enterprises.

[The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr Oliver Letwin)]

My hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (John Glen) is right to ask this question. We attach a huge amount—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Letwin]

Again, that is an enormously important question. One of the purposes behind our move to spread contracting to SMEs is precisely to ensure that we do not get such an unbalanced economy. We want to reach out to firms that have the best propositions—often, small and medium-sized firms—in parts of the country where there are not major contractors who do much business with Government. We believe that that is a good way of helping to build the economies, and enterprise and innovation, in those areas of our country.

[Margot James]

Government procurement officers have been very risk-averse in the past and associate large companies with security. Does my right hon. Friend agree that a change in culture is required, as well as these excellent new policies?