Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people of state pension age there are in (a) Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency, (b) Middlesbrough local authority area, (c) Tees Valley combined authority area and (d) the North East.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th June is attached.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department plans to take to enable the government to break with outsourced government contracts in the case where the desired outcomes are not delivered.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare
The National Procurement Policy Statement will set out the Government’s policy priorities, and contracting authorities will have to have regard to it when carrying out procurements. The Policy Statement will consult on introducing a new public interest test to assess whether work should be outsourced or if it could be done more effectively and drive better value for money in-house.
We have begun to assess the areas of Government that could be done more effectively in house, and where there may be compelling reasons for Government to develop their own capabilities and capacity to deliver good value for money and better public services.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to review the effectiveness of meeting contractual requirements in outsourced services provided to government departments.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare
The National Procurement Policy Statement will set out the Government’s policy priorities, and contracting authorities will have to have regard to it when carrying out procurements. The Policy Statement will consult on introducing a new public interest test to assess whether work should be outsourced or if it could be done more effectively and drive better value for money in-house.
We have begun to assess the areas of Government that could be done more effectively in house, and where there may be compelling reasons for Government to develop their own capabilities and capacity to deliver good value for money and better public services.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will initiate a programme of insourcing of facilities and maintenance services in government departments.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare
The National Procurement Policy Statement will set out the Government’s policy priorities, and contracting authorities will have to have regard to it when carrying out procurements. The Policy Statement will consult on introducing a new public interest test to assess whether work should be outsourced or if it could be done more effectively and drive better value for money in-house.
We have begun to assess the areas of Government that could be done more effectively in house, and where there may be compelling reasons for Government to develop their own capabilities and capacity to deliver good value for money and better public services.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to tackle(a) insecure work and (b) level of pay for workers employed in outsourced services in government departments.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare
The Employment Rights Bill will ensure the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This will include the introduction of the Two-Tier Code which will ensure fair and equitable employment conditions for public sector workers who have been transferred and private sector workers who work alongside them on public service contracts.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the Infected Blood Compensation Authority can make effective determinations on compensation where medical records of applicants are unavailable.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Given the historic nature of the infected blood scandal, the Government recognises that not all medical records will still be available. The Scheme has been designed to minimise as far as possible the burden on those applying, and as set out in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2024, eligibility for the Scheme will be determined based on the balance of probabilities. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority will provide assistance to those who believe their medical records have been lost or destroyed.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the Infected Blood Compensation Authority begins (a) assessing claims and (b) making payments before the end of 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is supporting the Infected Blood Compensation Authority with its aim to design a compensation service that is simple to use, easy to access and securely pays out money as quickly as possible. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority is established in law and work is progressing to put the operational systems in place with the expectation of beginning payments by the end of this year. I will continue to update the House on this matter.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will seek the advice of the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests on the conduct of the honourable Member for Bishop Auckland.
Answered by Rishi Sunak
No. I refer the hon. Member to the letter to him from the DLUHC Permanent Secretary on this issue. More broadly, on the issue of Teesworks, I would also refer him to the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 May 2023 (HCWS813).