Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Government Projects

Thursday 14 July 2022 · 6 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Infrastructure and Projects Authority provides expert advice and independent assurance on Government major projects portfolio.
  • The Department closely monitors the rate of increase of potential contingency spend on HS2 through monthly ministerial taskforce meetings.
  • The Government is committed to ensuring value for money and prudent spending of taxpayers' money.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gagan Mohindra Con South West Hertfordshire
Economy Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The question follows up on reducing costs of government initiatives to ensure fiscal responsibility.

Question

What progress has the Department made on reducing the cost of Government projects to help ensure value for money in public spending?

Answer from Jacob Rees-Mogg

Before I reply, I want to make it clear that the figure is 1.4 million envelopes at the DVLA—I misheard a helpful heckle. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority provides expert advice and independent assurance on Government major projects portfolio. It develops robust project cost estimates and builds capacity for effective delivery. The 2022 IPA annual report will set out progress made on the GMPP.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer provided general information about the authority's role but did not address the specific progress in reducing costs or value for money as asked.

How: Misheard A Helpful Heckle

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Q2 Marco Longhi
Transport
Context

Concerns about the potential future cost pressures of HS2 and how they will be managed proactively.

Question

What steps is the Department taking to ensure that cost pressures on HS2 are pre-emptively managed rather than reacted to?

Answer from Jacob Rees-Mogg

My hon. Friend is wise to raise these important points, because taxpayers' money must always be dealt with carefully. The Department closely monitors the rate of increase of potential contingency spend on HS2 through monthly ministerial taskforce meetings. The £1.7 billion of potential future cost pressures reported in March is manageable within the phase 1 target cost of £40.3 billion.

Answered
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Q3 Felicity Buchan
Economy Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The need to review government projects to ensure prudent spending.

Question

Will the Minister conduct a review of all major Government projects to ensure that taxpayers' money is spent prudently and commercially?

Answer from Jacob Rees-Mogg

I am entirely in agreement with my hon. Friend. It is so important that with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and the Treasury we ensure Departments spend money well. You and I, Mr Speaker, managed together to lay the framework for stopping potentially £20 billion from being spent on restoration and renewal here when it all got completely out of control.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide a specific commitment to conduct the review as asked but emphasized the importance of prudent spending.

How: Emphasis On Existing Measures

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Q4 Gagan Mohindra Con South West Hertfordshire
Economy Taxation Standards & Ethics
Context

The MP contrasts Labour's past fiscal mismanagement with the current government's approach.

Question

When the Labour party was last in government, it wasted billions of pounds on a botched IT project. Does my right hon. Friend agree that only the Conservatives can be trusted to responsibly manage taxpayers' money?

Answer from Jacob Rees-Mogg

Yes, I agree philosophically and practically because you will notice, Mr Speaker, that my hon. Friend and I carefully refer to taxpayers' money when the socialists normally refer to it as Government money. There is no such thing; there is only taxpayers' money that we have a duty to protect.

Not addressed: The answer did not provide evidence or specific examples of fiscal management but instead compared terminology use.

How: Comparison Of Terms

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Q5 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Business Compliance
Context

Discussion on the Procurement Bill and its aim to ensure value for money in government contracts.

Question

Will the Government end their reckless approach by committing to maximise the value of every pound spent through procurement?

Answer from Jacob Rees-Mogg

Once again, we hear the socialists calling for two different things, contradictorily, within the same question. First we should be focusing on value for money—yes, I absolutely agree—and then we should be putting all the hobby horses of the left into the procurement process.

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific commitments regarding the Procurement Bill or its implementation but instead generalized about focus areas and leftist ideology.

How: Contradictory Points

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Q6 Patricia Gibson SNP
NHS
Context

The MP questions the accountability for the 'haphazard purchasing strategy' of £4 billion worth of unusable PPE during the pandemic.

Question

Will the Minister explain who is accountable and responsible for the 'haphazard purchasing strategy' that led to £4 billion worth of unusable PPE?

Answer from Jacob Rees-Mogg

You are right, Mr Speaker: I have got the point, and it is a terribly bogus point. At the height of the pandemic, all Opposition Members were calling for PPE to be delivered “yesterday”, and the Government managed to increase the proportion of domestically produced PPE from less than 1% to nearly 80%, excluding gloves.

Not addressed: The answer did not address accountability for £4 billion worth of unusable PPE but instead criticized the Opposition and their demands during the pandemic.

How: Criticism Of Opposition

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