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Written Question
Appreciate Group
Thursday 3rd February 2022

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much money has been paid in total out of the public purse to Appreciate Group PLC since it was first accredited as a supplier.

Answered by Michael Ellis

Cabinet Office finance systems only record information from 2009 onwards. There have been no payments made to the supplier Appreciate Group PLC by the Cabinet Office since 1st April 2009.


Written Question
Park Retail
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much money has been paid out of the public purse to Park Retail Ltd. since it was first accredited as a supplier.

Answered by Michael Ellis

Cabinet Office finance systems only record information from 2009 onwards. There have been no payments made to the supplier Park Retail Ltd by the Cabinet Office since 1st April 2009.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Public Inquiries
Wednesday 17th November 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made on appointing a Chair of the public inquiry into the Government’s handling of the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Michael Ellis

On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into COVID-19 will be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers, and that it will begin its work in spring 2022. The independent chair of the inquiry will be appointed by the end of this year. Further details, including on the terms of reference, will be set out in due course.


Written Question
Public Sector: Procurement
Thursday 27th May 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

What recent steps he has taken to help ensure value for money in public procurement.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are transforming the current procurement regime so that simpler procedures can drive increased competition and innovation, ultimately saving taxpayers’ money.

We have also recently published Version 3 of the Outsourcing Playbook, rebranded as the Sourcing Playbook, alongside our new Consultancy Playbook. This suite of guidance will help government and industry work better together to deliver quality public services and value for money.

The Government Consulting Hub was also formally launched last week; a new team at the centre of Government providing expertise on management consultancy and ensuring we maximise value.


Written Question
Imports: UK Trade with EU
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on UK citizens' consumer rights of the end of the transition period in the context of the purchase of EU goods to be delivered by post.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
UK Trade with EU: Exports
Thursday 1st April 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent representations he has received on (a) delays and (b) no delivery of goods exported to EU member states.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Lord Frost, the Minister of State regularly meets business representatives, including through the Brexit Business Taskforce, and hears representations on the full range of challenges faced by business in adapting to the end of the Transition Period.

The TCA provides tariff-free and quota-free trade of all goods between the UK and EU. We have received some examples of delays in goods being cleared by different Member States. Officials are working closely with Member State officials, businesses and their representatives to understand the reason for any delays or refusal of goods so that issues can be resolved and goods can move freely.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Death
Tuesday 30th March 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution on 15 July 2020, Official Report, column 1514, what progress has been made to establish a start date for an inquiry into the Government’s handling of the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge the UK, together with nations around the world, has faced in decades. Throughout the pandemic, we have consistently adapted our response as we have learnt more about the virus and how best to tackle it. As stated by the Prime Minister on 15 July 2020 'we will seek to learn the lessons of the pandemic in the future, and certainly we will have an independent inquiry into what happened.' Any further updates will be announced in the usual way.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Death
Tuesday 30th March 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime MInister's oral contribution on 15 July 2020, Official Report, column 1514, what progress has been made to identify the leadership of the inquiry into the Government’s handling of the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge the UK, together with nations around the world, has faced in decades. Throughout the pandemic, we have consistently adapted our response as we have learnt more about the virus and how best to tackle it. As stated by the Prime Minister on 15 July 2020 'we will seek to learn the lessons of the pandemic in the future, and certainly we will have an independent inquiry into what happened.' Any further updates will be announced in the usual way.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Death
Tuesday 30th March 2021

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution on 15 July 2020, Official Report, column 1514, what progress has been made to establish the format of a potential inquiry into the Government’s handling of the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge the UK, together with nations around the world, has faced in decades. Throughout the pandemic, we have consistently adapted our response as we have learnt more about the virus and how best to tackle it. As stated by the Prime Minister on 15 July 2020 'we will seek to learn the lessons of the pandemic in the future, and certainly we will have an independent inquiry into what happened.' Any further updates will be announced in the usual way.


Written Question
Import Duties: Brexit
Wednesday 14th October 2020

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to allocate financial and other support to industries affected by the imposition of tariffs in the event that the UK does not reach an agreement on future relations with the EU at the end of the transition period.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Further to the statement by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September, the Government is committed to helping business prepare for the end of the transition period. The Government has launched an information campaign to communicate the actions that all businesses need to take before 31 December 2020, and detailed guidance is available on gov.uk/transition.

The Government is negotiating with the EU and has been clear that we want a free trade deal, based on friendly cooperation. The Political Declaration sets as an aim a zero tariff and zero quota FTA. We would like to achieve that. Reducing the costs and processes associated with trade is in the interests of people and businesses across the UK and the EU.

As previously set out through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), Defra and the Devolved Administrations can monitor the market situation across various agricultural commodities.