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 (a) steps he is taking and (b) infrastructure is in place to protect the continuity of trade of products of animal origin and breeding stock after the end of the transition period; and what (a) steps are required and (b) infrastructure is yet to be implemented between the UK and EU in the event that no trade deal is agreed 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.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of non-UK nationals employed in the services export sector in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made on ensuring that all Government suppliers are signatories of the Prompt Payment Code.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In 2015 the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) strengthened the Prompt Payment Code.
The majority of government’s strategic suppliers are signatories to the Code and payment practices of government’s largest suppliers are regularly monitored to ensure that they are in line with the aims of prompt payment policy. While the Prompt Payment Code is voluntary, any new strategic supplier to Government is encouraged to sign up.
In addition, BEIS have recently launched a call for evidence seeking views and experiences on the impact of late and unfair payment practices. This closes on 29 November and a link to this is below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-a-responsible-payment-culture-a-call-for-evidence-on-tackling-late-payment.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many of the 32 biggest suppliers to the Government have met the commitment to pay 95 percent of invoices within 60 days; and how many such suppliers have met the voluntary agreement to adopt 30 days as the norm.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In 2017, the government introduced legislation that requires the UK’s largest businesses to report on a half yearly basis on their payment practices, policies and performance. All information must be published on Gov.uk. This can be viewed at the following link: https://check-payment-practices.service.gov.uk/search
Public sector buyers must include 30-day payment terms in new public sector contracts; and require that this payment term be passed down the supply chain.
At the pre-qualification stage of any procurement, it is the responsibility of contracting authorities to ensure that contracts are awarded to appropriate suppliers according to the required payment terms.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data on payment practices and terms is requested from the 32 largest suppliers to Government before awarding further public sector contracts; and how many contracts have been withheld pending satisfactory evidence from such suppliers.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In 2017, the government introduced legislation that requires the UK’s largest businesses to report on a half yearly basis on their payment practices, policies and performance. All information must be published on Gov.uk. This can be viewed at the following link: https://check-payment-practices.service.gov.uk/search
Public sector buyers must include 30-day payment terms in new public sector contracts; and require that this payment term be passed down the supply chain.
At the pre-qualification stage of any procurement, it is the responsibility of contracting authorities to ensure that contracts are awarded to appropriate suppliers according to the required payment terms.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has there been of the effectiveness of the Crown Commercial Service Mystery Shopper scheme; and what steps the Government is taking to proactively promote that scheme to suppliers.
Answered by David Lidington
The Mystery Shopper service, introduced in 2011, allows suppliers to report poor procurement practice. Nearly 1500 cases have been received to date and, of the total cases closed during 2017-18, 99% resulted in positive change. Statutory powers introduced in March 2015 now require contracting authorities to co-operate with the service.
Lists of issues raised and the results of cases investigated so far under the Mystery Shopper scheme are published regularly on Gov.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mystery-shopper-results
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many suppliers have reported within the Crown Commercial Service Mystery Shopper scheme evidence of (a) instances of late or unfair payment and (b) other poor procurement practice in public sector contracts; how many suppliers have been investigated as a result of the Mystery Shopper scheme; and what the outcomes of those investigations have been.
Answered by David Lidington
The Mystery Shopper service, introduced in 2011, allows suppliers to report poor procurement practice. Nearly 1500 cases have been received to date and, of the total cases closed during 2017-18, 99% resulted in positive change. Statutory powers introduced in March 2015 now require contracting authorities to co-operate with the service.
Lists of issues raised and the results of cases investigated so far under the Mystery Shopper scheme are published regularly on Gov.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mystery-shopper-results
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister of the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that all Government suppliers are signatories of the Prompt Payment Code.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In 2015 the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy strengthened the Prompt Payment Code. The majority of government's 28 strategic suppliers are signatories the Prompt Payment Code, promising to pay suppliers, including small businesses in their supply chain, promptly and fairly. A list of these signed suppliers has been published on GOV.UK. Payment practices of those strategic suppliers who are not signatories to the Code, are regularly monitored to ensure that they are in line with the aims of prompt payment policy.
In addition, all public sector buyers must have 30 day payment terms in their contracts and through their supply chains; they must also publish their payment performance bi-annually.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the commitments made by the UK at the Anti-Corruption Summit 2016, when the Crown Commercial Service plans to introduce a new check to prevent corrupt bidders winning public contracts.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Government committed in its Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017-2022 to trial in the Crown Commercial Service, a new conviction check.
The purpose of the trial was to establish whether convictions data could be accessed at source to undertake conviction checks on preferred bidders on behalf of Government departments and complement existing provisions in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The trial is now complete and Cabinet Office is analysing the results before identifying a preferred approach and timescales for implementation.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the commitments made by the UK Government at the Anti-Corruption Summit 2016, how an additional conviction check at the Crown Commercial Service will complement existing checks on convictions.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Government committed in its Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017-2022 to trial in the Crown Commercial Service, a new conviction check.
The purpose of the trial was to establish whether convictions data could be accessed at source to undertake conviction checks on preferred bidders on behalf of Government departments and complement existing provisions in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The trial is now complete and Cabinet Office is analysing the results before identifying a preferred approach and timescales for implementation.