Concentrix

John Bercow Excerpts

Wednesday 26th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Neil Gray (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

I understand, with the challenges coming from the Opposition Benches, why she wishes to outsource blame purely to Concentrix, but this Government wrote the contract to incentivise Concentrix’s behaviour and, as confirmed by the Economic Secretary last week in Westminster Hall, sent the personal data to Concentrix to investigate—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are tremendously grateful to the hon. Gentleman, but I feel that he has surely concluded his intervention.

[Jane Ellison]

Far from saying that this is all Concentrix, I think there are lessons to be learned all round. I should signal now that, because I think there are lessons to be learned all round—for HMRC, for Ministers and certainly for Concentrix—the Government do not intend to divide the House on the Opposition’s motion. I want this to be an exercise in understanding the problems and learning the lessons. I will take one more intervention, for balance from my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (James Berry), and then move on to the end of my speech.