Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Public Procurement: Value for Money

Thursday 7 September 2023 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Government awards contracts based on the most economically advantageous tender.
  • Procurement Bill is being taken through Parliament to streamline processes and ensure value for money.
  • Minister offers to meet Jo Gideon to discuss increasing representation of businesses with social purpose and female-owned businesses in public procurement.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
Immigration Business Compliance Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from concerns about ensuring public funds are used efficiently in outsourced services, particularly highlighting issues with the Home Office's dealings with Clearsprings Ready Homes.

Question

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure value for money in public procurement. It is important that taxpayers get value for money when public services are outsourced. Over recent years, the Home Office has given vast sums of taxpayers' money to Clearsprings Ready Homes, yet the accommodation that it has contracted out for housing asylum seekers has been unfit for human habitation, partly because so much taxpayers' money is being skimmed off by unaccountable intermediaries before it reaches the hotels or food providers. What is the Cabinet Office doing to stop that sort of thing happening in outsourced services?

Answer from Alex Burghart

The UK Government already award contracts on the basis of most economically advantageous tender. Furthermore, we are currently taking the Procurement Bill through Parliament, which is an opportunity to streamline procurement processes and ensure that value for money remains central to the UK's procurement regime. I am unable to comment on the specifics of that case, but on the broader point, the Procurement Bill covers a range of issues, including how we can improve quality within our supply chains.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifics about actions taken regarding Clearsprings Ready Homes and its contracts were not addressed.

How: I Am Unable To Comment On The Specifics Of That Case

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Q2 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
Asylum & Refugees Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question is prompted by issues regarding poor quality accommodations provided to asylum seekers through outsourced services, raising concerns about misuse of public funds.

Question

It is important that taxpayers get value for money when public services are outsourced. Over recent years, the Home Office has given vast sums of taxpayers' money to Clearsprings Ready Homes, yet the accommodation that it has contracted out for housing asylum seekers has been unfit for human habitation, partly because so much taxpayers' money is being skimmed off by unaccountable intermediaries before it reaches the hotels or food providers. What is the Cabinet Office doing to stop that sort of thing happening in outsourced services?

Answer from Alex Burghart

I am unable to comment on the specifics of that case, but on the broader point, the Procurement Bill covers a range of issues, including how we can improve quality within our supply chains. Perhaps the hon. Lady will join us for ping-pong next week.

Not addressed: Specific details about actions taken regarding Clearsprings Ready Homes were not provided.

How: I Am Unable To Comment On The Specifics Of That Case, Perhaps The Hon. Lady Will Join Us For Ping-Pong Next Week

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Q3 Jo Gideon
Business & Trade
Context

The question arises from recent announcements about small and medium-sized enterprises securing government contracts but highlights the under-representation of socially-minded and female-owned businesses in public procurement.

Question

I welcome the recent announcement that a growing number of small and medium-sized enterprises have secured Government contracts, but businesses with a social purpose and female-owned businesses are still under-represented in public procurement opportunities. Will my hon. Friend meet me to discuss what can be done to remedy that?

Answer from Alex Burghart

I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend about this and other issues. She will know that the Procurement Bill means we are now looking at the most advantageous tender, which means that value for money remains central but that those seeking to strike up procurement can also look for other factors when deciding which contract to sign.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitments regarding meetings or actions for increasing representation of social purpose and female-owned businesses were not given.

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