Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many purchases with a value of less than £500 were made against her Department’s budget using a Government procurement card from 7 February to 31 December 2023; and what was the total cost of those purchases.

Procurement cards assist with the reduction in procurement bureaucracy, boost efficiency, support the Government’s prompt payment initiative for Small and Medium businesses, and help maintain cash flow to suppliers.

Procurement cards are used as defined by the departmental procurement acquisition model, agreed by procurement and finance colleagues.

Controls are in place that limit purchase types and values in line with individual departmental controls.

Procurement cards are held by officials, not Ministers or Special Advisers.

1) No. of transactions: 827

2) Value: £59,209.04

This includes DSIT elements of BEIS.