Oral Answers to Questions

Mike Wood Excerpts

Wednesday 28th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to support the use of small businesses in Government procurement.

[Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)]

11. What steps his Department is taking to support the use of small businesses in Government procurement.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Oliver Dowden)]

Small businesses are the engine of our economy and we are determined that they should get their fair share of Government contracts, which is why we have set an ambitious aspiration for a third of procurement spend to be with small and medium-sized enterprises by 2022. We will shortly announce further measures to help us to achieve that target.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mike Wood]

Small businesses in Dudley South have shown that they can compete with the biggest names in the world. Will the Minister help them to compete for Government contracts by publishing all contracts worth more than £10,000 on the Contracts Finder website?

[Oliver Dowden]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and all contracts worth more than £10,000 are published on the Contracts Finder website. Indeed, more than 25,000 organisations are currently registered with Contracts Finder, of which 64% are small and medium-sized enterprises.

--- Later in debate ---

The Prime Minister was asked—

[Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)]

Q1. If she will list her official engagements for Wednesday 28 March.

[The Prime Minister (Mrs Theresa May)]

May I start, Mr Speaker, by wishing you, all Members and everyone who works on the parliamentary estate a very happy Easter?

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today.

[Mike Wood]

Under Conservative leadership since last May, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has protected social care and other core services. Will the Prime Minister reject the calls from the Opposition to scrap the council tax referendum lock, which prevents excessive council tax rises?

[The Prime Minister]

I am very happy to agree with my hon. Friend, who raises an important point. He also makes a point about the success of Dudley Council under Conservative leadership. People living in the Conservative-led Dudley Council area pay among the lowest council tax in the west midlands. Since taking control from Labour, the council has reversed Labour’s street cleaning cuts, scrapped its plans to charge for green waste collection and maintained the weekly bin collection. It is very clear that if people want to pay less and get good services, they should vote Conservative on 3 May.