Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to convene a Government taskforce to increase the number of ethnic minority-led businesses in public procurement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
UK public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money from the perspective of the contracting authority, using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.
A Social Value model launched on 1 January 2021 (PPN 06/20), which is applicable to central Government departments, requires contracts to be assessed on a range of priority outcomes, where it is relevant and proportionate to do so, including improving accessibility to government contracts by a range of types of organisations, including minority ethnic owned businesses. This new approach will mean more opportunities for SMEs and social enterprises to win Government contracts by demonstrating the full extent of the value they would generate
As we look towards the future, we now have an opportunity to develop and implement a new procurement regime. The Procurement Bill contains proposals to further simplify the procurement process and make it easier for all companies to bid. The changes that are proposed are designed to benefit businesses of all sizes throughout the whole economy, including ethnic minority businesses; this includes measures that will reduce barriers to entry including establishing a single transparency platform so that bidders only have to submit their core credentials once, and making reforms to procurement frameworks so that suppliers are not locked out.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential barriers to minority ethnic owned businesses accessing Government contracts.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
UK public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money from the perspective of the contracting authority, using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.
A Social Value model launched on 1 January 2021 (PPN 06/20), which is applicable to central Government departments, requires contracts to be assessed on a range of priority outcomes, where it is relevant and proportionate to do so, including improving accessibility to government contracts by a range of types of organisations, including minority ethnic owned businesses. This new approach will mean more opportunities for SMEs and social enterprises to win Government contracts by demonstrating the full extent of the value they would generate
As we look towards the future, we now have an opportunity to develop and implement a new procurement regime. The Procurement Bill contains proposals to further simplify the procurement process and make it easier for all companies to bid. The changes that are proposed are designed to benefit businesses of all sizes throughout the whole economy, including ethnic minority businesses; this includes measures that will reduce barriers to entry including establishing a single transparency platform so that bidders only have to submit their core credentials once, and making reforms to procurement frameworks so that suppliers are not locked out.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament Annual Report 2019–2021, published on 10 December 2021, HC 877, whether she plans to update the Memorandum of Understanding between the Prime Minister and the Intelligence and Security Committee.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the written statement issued on 10 December 2021 by the previous Prime Minister (UIN HCWS464). The Government remains confident that the current Memorandum of Understanding with the Committee is sufficient to allow for robust oversight of the Agencies and wider Intelligence Community.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 37423 on Employment and with reference to the Answer to the Question from the Rt hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras at Prime Minister's Questions on 20 July 2022, Official Report, column 951, whether he plans to correct the record in respect of his statement that there are more people in paid employment than at any time in the history of this country; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Boris Johnson
I am proud of this Government’s record in protecting jobs and supporting employment across the country. As I leave Office, latest labour market statistics speak to the resilience of the UK economy: I am happy to clarify that we have a record number of employees on payrolls, unemployment close to its lowest point since 1974, and youth unemployment at a record low.
This resilience is, in no small part, thanks to the extraordinary interventions we made during the pandemic to protect over 14.6 million jobs through furlough and our self-employment income support scheme. It is because of these interventions, and the delivery of the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, that we oversaw the fastest economic growth in the G7 last year.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the circumstances in which making a Ministerial Correction in Hansard is appropriate.
Answered by Boris Johnson
As I have previously noted, my answer of 23 June 2022 to PQ 18053, and my letter of 26 April 2022 to the Liaison Committee (a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House), clarified my previous answers. Corrections and clarifications can be made in a number of ways.
I note the Procedure Committee is looking into these processes in more depth, and the Government looks forward to engaging with its inquiry.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 14 July 2022 to Question 33662 on Employment, what assessment he has made of the likelihood that people reading the record of his statements on the level of UK employment will become aware of his Answer of 23 June 2022 to Question 18053 or his letter of 26 April 2022 to the Liaison Committee; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Boris Johnson
As I have previously noted, my answer of 23 June 2022 to PQ 18053, and my letter of 26 April 2022 to the Liaison Committee (a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House), clarified my previous answers. Corrections and clarifications can be made in a number of ways.
I note the Procedure Committee is looking into these processes in more depth, and the Government looks forward to engaging with its inquiry.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 14 July 2022 to Question 33662 on Employment, for what reason he has not corrected the record with a Ministerial Correction in the Official Report in respect of oral contributions on the level of employment in the UK.
Answered by Boris Johnson
As I have previously noted, my answer of 23 June 2022 to PQ 18053, and my letter of 26 April 2022 to the Liaison Committee (a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House), clarified my previous answers. Corrections and clarifications can be made in a number of ways.
I note the Procedure Committee is looking into these processes in more depth, and the Government looks forward to engaging with its inquiry.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2022 to Question 18053 on total UK employment levels, what plans he has to correct the record, with a Ministerial Correction in the Official Report, in respect of oral contributions of (a) 24 November 2021, Official Report, column 344, (b) 5 January 2022, Official Report, column 11, (c) 5 January 2022, Official Report, column 14, (d) 5 January 2022, Official Report, column 15, (e) 12 January 2022, Official Report, columns 567-8, (f) 19 January 2022, Official Report, column 323, (g) 2 February 2022, Official Report, columns 268-9, (h) 23 February 2022, Official Report, column 314 and (i) 20 April 2022, Official Report, column 155.
Answered by Boris Johnson
My answer of 23 June 2022 to PQ 18053, and my letter of 26 April 2022 to the Liaison Committee (a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House), clarified my previous answers about employment levels in the UK.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Procurement Bill on procurement opportunities for ethnic minority business owners.
Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg
The Procurement Bill contains proposals to simplify the procurement process and make it easier for all companies to bid rather than specific groups. The changes that are proposed are designed in particular to benefit businesses of all sizes throughout the whole economy, including ethnic minority businesses; this includes measures that will reduce barriers to entry including establishing a single transparency platform so that bidders only have to submit their core credentials once, and making reforms to procurement frameworks so that suppliers are not locked out.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral evidence to the Liaison Committee of 30 March 2022 and his acknowledgment that previous assertions that employment is higher than before the covid-19 outbreak had been incorrect, what plans he has to correct the record in relation to assertions in the House of Commons on (a) 24 November 2021, Official Report, column 344, (b) 5 January 2022, Official Report, columns 11, 14 and 15, (c) 12 January 2022, Official Report, column 568, (d) 19 January 2022, Official Report, column 323, (e) 2 February 2022, Official Report, columns 268 to 269 and (f) 23 February 2022, Official Report, column 314.
Answered by Boris Johnson
During my appearance before the Liaison Committee I committed to respond in writing on a number of issues that were raised with me. I will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House of Commons Library.