Work Programme

(asked on 1st December 2014) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department gives to a Work Programme sub-contractor to which a prime provider has refused to make a contractual payment; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Esther McVey Portrait
Esther McVey
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 5th December 2014

The Department's contracts for delivering the Work Programme are with the prime contractors and we do not get involved in the contractual relationships prime providers have with their sub-contractors.

The Department expects sub-contractors to be treated fairly. That’s why we have launched the Merlin Standard, a set of behaviours prime providers are expected to live up to in their relationships with their sub-contractors.

The Merlin Mediation Service delivered by the Independent Case Examiner is available for complaints of non-compliance with the Merlin Standard, relating to DWP contracts.

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