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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 29 Nov 2022
Internal Market Information System Regulations (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2021

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View all Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Internal Market Information System Regulations (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2021

Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Feb 2022
Post Office: Horizon

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 31 Jan 2022
Economic Crime: Planned Government Bill

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Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 08 Jul 2021
Market Surveillance (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021

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View all Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Market Surveillance (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021

Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 10 Jun 2021
Employment Rights

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View all Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Employment Rights

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Jun 2021
Agricultural Exports from Australia: Tariffs

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 24 May 2021
Post Brexit: Small Service Businesses

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 19 May 2021
10-point Plan: Six Months On

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 28 Apr 2021
Post Office Court of Appeal Judgment

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Written Question
Construction: Billing
Tuesday 27th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Prompt Payment Code on SMEs in the construction sector, given that only a small minority of construction businesses are signatories to the Code.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to fulfilling its manifesto commitment to clamp down on non-payment and late payment to support small businesses in the UK.

We have introduced a number of measures to tackle late payment. These include the Payment Practices Reporting Duty which creates transparency in payment behaviour, and the Prompt Payment Code which sets standards and best practice in payment culture. Both measures are applicable in the construction sector.

Since September 2019, suppliers also risk being excluded from winning large Government contracts if they cannot demonstrate prompt payment. This policy applies to Central Government contracts valued above £5m per annum, subject to the Public Contracts Regulations.

In addition, in May 2020 the Government issued a Guidance Note on responsible contractual behaviour in the performance and enforcement of contracts impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government will continue to review behaviours in contracting, including public sector procurement, prompt payment and contract management arrangements.