Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his written ministerial statement of 26 October 2026 on the National School of Government and Public Services, and the contracts for Centralised Civil Service Learning and Training Services awarded to KPMG LLP and Ernst & Young LLP, what the value of each contract is; how much has been paid under each contract to date; and why those contracts were awarded directly and not through competitive tender.

The Cabinet Office manages central Learning Frameworks contracts through which departments can procure specialist external learning and development services.

The EY contract was awarded in 2020 under a Crown Commercial Framework (RM6145) and is for expenditure up to a maximum of £195m, depending on demand - the spend up to end September 2026 was £161,622,467.

The KPMG contract awarded in 2020 was also awarded under the same Crown Commercial Service Framework, this was valued at up to £237m, ended in 2024, and the total spend was £235,132,270.

There was subsequently a further contract to KPMG as a direct award. This contract was up to £186m, and total spend to end September 2026 was £167,630,873. The services covered by the contract ​could only ​be provided by KPMG at that time for technical reasons, as set out in the published award notices.

A Notice was published in July 2026 that two further contract awards are intended to be made to KPMG and EY as direct awards under Procurement Act 2023 as they concern the supply of services by existing suppliers which are intended as an extension to existing services in circumstances where:

(a) a change in supplier would result in receiving services that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing services; and

(b) the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance.

In line with previous and current central learning contracts, when enacted, these latest contracts will be fully based on a ‘pay as you use’ basis without any value, volume or exclusivity guarantees.