Oral Answers to Questions

Oliver Dowden Excerpts

Wednesday 21st February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on ethical procurement.

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

The Government are committed to ethical procurement. The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires commissioners to consider the social benefits of their approaches to procurement, and the industrial strategy requires Departments to consider wider social and economic factors in the design of major Government contracts.

[Kerry McCarthy]

Another recent report has commented on the link between ultra-processed food and cancer, rising levels of obesity, and the fact that only one in four adults is eating five a day. What more can the Government do through their public procurement processes to encourage healthy, sustainable eating, and to source it from British producers?

[Oliver Dowden]

The hon. Lady has raised an important point. As I have said, the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 enables procurers to take those wider factors into account. We are also encouraging the adoption of a so-called balanced scorecard approach whereby, in the process of procurement, we consider those wider factors. We have rolled that out for all contracts worth more than £10 million, and have extended it to the Crown Commercial Service framework for facilities management.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

What additional flexibility in public procurement will be yielded by Brexit?

[Oliver Dowden]

One of the advantages of Brexit is that it will provide a wide range of opportunities to tailor our procurement rules to the needs of this country. Once we have left Europe, we will be considering exactly those measures.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

What certainty does the Minister have that there is no direct or indirect gender discrimination anywhere in the Government’s supply chain?

[Oliver Dowden]

In October last year, the Government produced a code of conduct relating to Government procurement which covered precisely those points.

[Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to promote Government procurement from small and medium-sized businesses.

--- Later in debate ---

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

The Government are committed to moving activities away from London and the south-east. There is a presumption that all new non-departmental public bodies should be outside London, so we have created Government hubs across the UK, including in Edinburgh and Glasgow. My hon. Friend makes a marvellous case for having more such opportunities in Scotland.

[Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)]

T5. Dounreay in my constituency is being decommissioned, and it is crucial that both levels of government should work in harmony to ensure future employment for the people of my constituency. Canada and Australia typify joint working between levels of government. Will the Minister work very hard indeed to ensure that the Scottish Government and the UK Government work together to allay the fears of my constituents and to provide future employment?

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

T4. Too few of our small businesses apply to sell their goods to Government because they are worried about the bureaucracy involved. What reassurance can the Minister give them and, specifically, what feedback is available to them when they do so?

[Oliver Dowden]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. Small businesses are the engine of our economy, and we are committed to supporting them in public procurement. That is why we have already streamlined our procurement processes to assist small businesses by, for example, abolishing complex questionnaires. Specifically in relation to too much bureaucracy, businesses can report such practices to the mystery shopper service.

[Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)]

T6. On what date were Government officials first instructed to work on draft amendments to clause 11 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill?

--- Later in debate ---

[Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) (SNP)]

My colleagues in Edinburgh will be voting today to scrap the public sector pay cap and give a 3% pay rise to those earning under £36,000. When will public sector workers in England see a similar rise?

[Oliver Dowden]

Public sector workers are among the most talented and hard-working people in our society, and they should be fairly rewarded. In respect of the Cabinet Office, the Chancellor’s Budget statement confirmed that we are moving away from the 1% average public sector pay award, and proposals will be issued later this year.

[Mr Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)]

I wish my right hon. Friend every success in his forthcoming meeting with the Scottish and Welsh Governments this week. Will he bear in mind that he is being compromising and open, and will he invite them to be the same?