Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the validity of the decision by the National Citizen Service Trust to withdraw NCS contracts from The Challenge; and what steps her Department and the Cabinet Office plan to take to help (a) resolve those issues that The Challenge reportedly raised with her Department on the National Citizen Service Trust before the withdrawal of its contracts and (b) maintain NCS (i) jobs and (ii) places.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
The NCS Trust are the contracting authority for the NCS programme and have operational accountability for the NCS delivery chain. As such, procurement issues are a contractual matter between the NCS Trust and The Challenge, with DCMS being regularly informed. The procurement process for the re-commissioning of NCS contracts, carried out by the NCS Trust in 2019, was approved by both DCMS and HMT.
In regards to the issues raised by The Challenge, NCS Trust is an arms-length body of DCMS and, in line with standard complaint procedures, DCMS is investigating the matters raised and will address any findings as appropriate.
All NCS delivery regions have been successfully contracted for, to make sure there is minimal loss in NCS participation levels from 2020 onwards.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the then Prime Minister’s Written Statement of 4 November 2015 on the Wilson doctrine, what his policy is on the Wilson doctrine.
Answered by Boris Johnson
The Wilson Doctrine is unchanged from the position set out in my predecessor's Written Statement of 4 November 2015 (HCWS291).
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she or her Department was made aware of the contractual dispute between NCS Trust and the largest provider of National Citizen Service, The Challenge.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport were formally made aware of the contractual dispute between NCS and The Challenge on 15th July when a letter of complaint was sent from Bill Ronald (CEO of The Challenge) to the DCMS Secretary of State.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the internal investigation into complaints regarding NCS Trust will be concluded; and if she will publish the findings of that investigation.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
In line with standard complaint procedures, we are investigating the complaints raised by The Challenge against the NCS Trust and will address any findings as appropriate. The investigation is ongoing.
DCMS will let both parties know the result of the investigation when it has concluded.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many formal complaints have been made to her Department on the NCS Trust in the last 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
In the last twelve months DCMS has received one formal complaint against the NCS Trust and one formal complaint regarding the terms of the new contracts issued by the NCS Trust.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the NCS Trust’s effectiveness in (a) delivering and (b) meeting the targets set for the National Citizen Service.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
DCMS assesses the NCS Trust’s effectiveness in delivering the NCS programme against the three core objectives of: social cohesion, social mobility and social engagement - through consecutive, independent evaluations. Since 2013, these have demonstrated the positive impacts that National Citizen Service delivers to both its participants and their communities.
DCMS assesses the NCS Trust’s effectiveness in meeting its Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets on an ongoing basis and reviews these formally at the bi-annual Sponsor meetings between the DCMS Permanent Secretary and NCS Trust CEO and Board Chair. Performance against KPIs is published in the NCS Trust’s Annual Report, which is laid before Parliament.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress NCS Trust has made on addressing the governance issues raised in reports by the Public Accounts Committtee and National Audit Office.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
In response to the governance issues raised in reports by the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office, DCMS, together with the NCS Trust, have made the following progress:
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has requested any (a) Ministers and (b) officials to investigate potential contacts between UK parliamentarians and foreign Governments.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government is fully committed to tightening up legislation so that foreign money cannot find its way into political campaigning and to tackle foreign lobbying. As such, Ministers and officials have been directed to consider the issue for consultation, which will be published in due course.
Ministers believe this to be particularly pertinent in light of public concerns raised about the funding of campaigning and legislation against Brexit.
I further refer the Hon. Member to a letter sent by the Cabinet Secretary to the Rt. Hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Dominic Grieve); a copy of this letter will be deposited in the library of both Houses.
I also refer him to the answer to the Hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Bob Seely), of 1 November 2019, Official Report, PQ 4350, on the assessment being undertaken of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on foreign agents’ registration.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What steps she is taking to support businesses with cross-border supply chains after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Conor Burns
We are taking steps to support businesses in all scenarios and are working on securing a deal to ensure minimised disruption to supply chains. Our temporary tariff regime, in the event of no-deal, will support supply chains and sensitive sectors in the UK economy.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what parts of the Government’s plan for accessing animal medicine IT systems in the event of a no deal Brexit have been implemented.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.