Public Contracts Value for Money 2026-04-23
2026-04-23
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
No specific background or context was provi [5D [K provided, but the question addresses general concerns about the value of su [2D [K such contracts.
What recent assessment has been made of the value [5D [K value for money of public contracts with private sector providers?
My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet [7D [K Cabinet Office, is doing great work to ensure that public procurement is on [2D [K on the side of working people. Outsourcing by default has not delivered, so [2D [K so a new public interest test would ensure that outsourcing decisions are b [1D [K based on value for money, social value, market and economic impact, and cap [3D [K capability and capacity.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked for recent assessments of spec [4D [K specific contracts, but the answer discusses general principles without pro [3D [K providing concrete details about recent evaluations.
Discusses General Principles
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references Capita's poor performance [11D [K performance in the civil service pension scheme, leading to questions about [5D [K about why they were still awarded another significant contract. The questio [7D [K question aims to clarify responsibility and decision-making processes.
Despite Capita's horrendous administration of the [3D [K the civil service pension scheme, it was still awarded the Synergy shared s [1D [K services contract. We still do not have a reason why—and I am not the first [5D [K first person in this House to ask. Will the Minister finally confirm who wa [2D [K was responsible for the decision and whether the Cabinet Office signed it o [1D [K off?
I entirely agree with my hon. Friend's assessment o [1D [K of Capita's lamentable performance on the civil service pension scheme. We [K have to take individual decisions on contracts. For example, yesterday I ca [2D [K cancelled Capita's contract for the Royal Mail statutory pension scheme. I [K am robustly holding Capita to account, including by withholding milestone p [1D [K payments on the civil service pension scheme. With regard to the Synergy co [2D [K contract, that was led by the Department for Work and Pensions through the [K normal process, and it too will be managed robustly.
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Assessment & feedback
The question specifically asked about responsibil [11D [K responsibility and Cabinet Office involvement, but the answer focuses on ot [2D [K other contracts and general management practices without providing specific [8D [K specific details about who made the decision or whether Cabinet Office sign [4D [K signed off the Synergy contract.
General Principles
Discusses Other Decision [8D [K Decisions
Response accuracy