Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the economic effect of the negotiations on the UK's future relationship with the EU; and if the Government will publish that assessment.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 59762 on 23 June 2020.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what advice his Department is providing to UK citizens who own a second home within the EU in relation to access after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The Government is not seeking to agree specific mobility arrangements for owners of a second home.
After the end of the transition period, UK nationals will require permission from the relevant Member State to stay longer than 90 days in a rolling 180-day period.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) fines and (b) penalty notices his Department issued to public sector bodies for not adhering to the prompt pay policy in 2018.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
The Government recognises that the public sector should set a strong example by paying promptly. Under the prompt payment policy, public sector bodies are required to include 30-day payment terms in new public sector contracts; and this payment term must be passed down the supply chain. They are also required to publish annual payment performance data.
While there is no provision to issue fines or penalty notices to public sector bodies that do not adhere to the prompt payment policy, we encourage businesses to report poor payment practice and instances of late payment in public sector contracts in breach of contract terms, to the Public Procurement Review Service, who will investigate. The service also undertakes its own proactive investigations into payment performance.
Following a public consultation, in November 2018 a new prompt payment initiative was announced to ensure all Government suppliers and subcontractors benefit from being paid on time. For the first time, failure of companies to demonstrate prompt payment to their suppliers could result in them being prevented from winning government contracts.
Coming into force in September 2019, this will ensure the Government only does business with companies who pay their suppliers on time, many of which are small businesses. The move will promote a healthy and diverse marketplace of companies providing public services
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government will take to ensure that UK statistics remain cross-comparable with Eurostat in the event (a) of the UK leaving the EU without a deal and (b) that the UK otherwise ceases collaboration with Eurostat.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.