Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45594, on public sector: procurement, where the Crown Commercial Service analysis can be found that is referred to in that Answer.
Answered by Ben Gummer
The Crown Commercial Service analysis referred to was undertaken internally to facilitate answering the Hon Member's previous question. The key data is reproduced below.
UK Tenders on Tenders Electronic Daily (Official journal of the EU) and Contracts Finder
MONTH | TED | CONTRACTS FINDER |
January 2016 | 812 | 2,577 |
February 2016 | 760 | 3,080 |
March 2016 | 987 | 3,256 |
April 2016 | 958 | 2,865 |
May 2016 | 881 | 2,960 |
June 2016 | 907 | 931 |
July 2016 | 1,033 | 2,853 |
August 2016 | 1,027 | 3,570 |
This clearly illustrates both the deferment in “Contract Finder” tenders during the EU referendum purdah period, and the lack of any significant change in the number of “Tenders Electronic Daily” opportunities.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the large increase in public sector contracts going out to tender since the EU referendum.
Answered by Ben Gummer
The overarching principle behind all public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of achieving the best value for money for the taxpayer.
It is the responsibility of the individual contracting authorities to decide whether, how and when to go to market for the procurement of goods and services.
Analysis by the Crown Commercial Service shows no significant variation in the number of above threshold opportunities advertised in the Official Journal of the EU. Analysis of opportunities over £10k advertised on Contracts Finder show a drop in the levels of procurement activity prior to the referendum, consistent with deferring advertisements during the Civil Service’s period of “purdah”, rather than a sudden increase in new activity since the referendum.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of all government departments adopting the same practice of informal monthly performance reviews which has been implemented by the Valuation Office Agency.
Answered by Ben Gummer
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on Wednesday 7 September 2016 to UIN: 44500.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, whether she plans to attend the UN General Assembly meetings on refugees and migrants on 19 and 20 September 2016.
Answered by Theresa May
I refer the hon. Member to the Oral Statement I gave to the House on 7 September 2016, Official Report, column 336.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on reform to the performance management systems used in the Civil Service; and if he will abolish the guided distribution model of performance markings.
Answered by Ben Gummer
The Civil Service currently operates within a Performance Management framework, introduced in 2012, which has helped to improve performance management practice and culture by focussing on regular conversation and assessment of both ‘what’ people do and ‘how’ they do it. The current approach has brought consistency and helped improve managers’ ability to differentiate between levels of performance.
The Civil Service is currently reviewing its approach to performance management to ensure that we are keeping up with external best practice and internal changes. As part of this, we are in the process of trialling ways in which we can build on the success of the current system. We will reflect on the outcomes of these trials upon the conclusion of the 2016-17 performance year to inform an evidence-based decision on the future of performance management in the Civil Service from 2018/19; this will include how the Civil Service will take forward the guided distribution element of the current system.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the proposals in Early Day Motion 278, on Office of Electoral Integrity, are not incorporated into the roles and responsibilities of the Electoral Commission; and if he will take steps to incorporate such proposals in the Electoral Commission's remit.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The accuracy of arguments advanced in the course of referendum and election campaigns is not subject to regulation.
The Government will consider this and other issues relating to the regulation of political campaigning, following the publication of the Electoral Commission’s report on the administration of the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union which is expected shortly.
Creating a new body to regulate what candidates and political campaigners could say would have an effect on freedom of speech within the law. Moreover, the proposed regime would be likely to fuel malicious and partisan complaints (and counter-complaints), which would undermine, rather than strengthen, confidence in the democratic process.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on reform to the performance management systems used in the Civil Service; and if he will abolish the guided distribution model of performance markings.
Answered by Ben Gummer
The Civil Service currently operates within a Performance Management framework, introduced in 2012, which has helped to improve performance management practice and culture by focussing on regular conversation and assessment of both ‘what’ people do and ‘how’ they do it. The current approach has brought consistency and helped improve managers’ ability to differentiate between levels of performance.
The Civil Service is currently reviewing its approach to performance management to ensure that we are keeping up with external best practice and internal changes. As part of this, we are in the process of trialling ways in which we can build on the success of the current system. We will reflect on the outcomes of these trials upon the conclusion of the 2016-17 performance year to inform an evidence-based decision on the future of performance management in the Civil Service from 2018/19; this will include how the Civil Service will take forward the guided distribution element of the current system.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, whether he opposed the provisional implementation of the proposed EU-Canada trade agreement at the EU Council on 28 and 29 June 2016.
Answered by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton - Foreign Secretary
No. The UK supports this EU-Canada agreement. The President of the European Commission updated the European Council on ongoing trade negotiations. A comprehensive discussion by the Council on trade will take place at the forthcoming October meeting as set out in the European Council Conclusions, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether questions about the armed forces community will be included in the next national census; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2014 to Question 215805, what response his Department has received from educational institutions on his Department's guidance on the 2014 EU Procurement Directives.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
Of the 204 responses received to the Government’s consultation on implementing the 2014 EU Procurement Directives, 60 were from educational institutions.
We have had no specific feedback on the guidance that was issued in conjunction with the training programme on the new Directives in the summer.