Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will outline the Strategic Business Case for implementing the Shared Services Strategy for Government.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Shared Services Strategy for Government was published on 9 March 2021. The Strategy sets the framework for groups of departments to form Shared Service Centres to implement the Strategy. Part of Cabinet Office, Government Business Services is responsible for coordinating delivery of the Strategy.
The Strategy will deliver better, streamlined services and lower costs, to offer better value for money for the taxpayer. Each group of departments forming a Shared Service Centre will develop its own business case for implementing the strategy.
The final specification and all bidding documents for the Outsourced Contact Centre and Business Services (RM6181) framework agreement were published on the government’s Contracts Finder website in April 2021.
It is for Departments to determine their approach to consulting with Civil Service unions. Cabinet Office officials have had two constructive meetings with the National Trade Union Congress since publication of the Strategy, and welcome continuing dialogue.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to consult Cvil Service unions on the implementation of the Shared Services Strategy for Government.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Shared Services Strategy for Government was published on 9 March 2021. The Strategy sets the framework for groups of departments to form Shared Service Centres to implement the Strategy. Part of Cabinet Office, Government Business Services is responsible for coordinating delivery of the Strategy.
The Strategy will deliver better, streamlined services and lower costs, to offer better value for money for the taxpayer. Each group of departments forming a Shared Service Centre will develop its own business case for implementing the strategy.
The final specification and all bidding documents for the Outsourced Contact Centre and Business Services (RM6181) framework agreement were published on the government’s Contracts Finder website in April 2021.
It is for Departments to determine their approach to consulting with Civil Service unions. Cabinet Office officials have had two constructive meetings with the National Trade Union Congress since publication of the Strategy, and welcome continuing dialogue.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to the Fairness in Government debt management consultation which closed on 21 September 2020.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government will publish an update regarding the call for evidence in due course and will make further announcements in the usual way.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent meetings on Government debt management (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials of his Department has held with the (i) Local Government Association, (ii) Credit Services Association and (c) Civil Enforcement Association.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government will publish an update regarding the call for evidence in due course and will make further announcements in the usual way.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the results of the zero based review taking place in different business units in his Department; and whether the Government plans to undertake those reviews in each Department.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
As has been the case under successive administrations, ministers routinely review their departments to ensure they are delivering the Government’s agenda in the most effective and efficient way. Significant changes are communicated to the House in the usual way.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper of 9 June 2020 entitled Procurement Policy Note 04/20: Recovery and Transition from COVID-19, what assessment he has made of the (a) potential merits of continuing to provide contractual relief as a result of covid-19 in line with Procurement Policy Notice 02/20, (b)(i) companies and (ii) work areas that will be affected by a change in contractual relief and (c) timetable for those changes.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As the Government moves into the next phase of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the supplier relief provisions set out in PPN 02/20 may still be appropriate and contracting authorities have the final decision on whether they deem a supplier at risk and the form of any relief.
PPN 04/20 allows Contracting Authorities to continue paying in full for services if suppliers are deemed at risk.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect on business confidence in Northern Ireland of the backstop provisions in the Government's proposed EU Withdrawal Agreement.
Answered by David Lidington
The Northern Ireland Protocol guarantees that even in the event that the UK’s future relationship with the EU is not in place by the end of the implementation period, there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland and no splitting of the UK’s customs territory. In so doing, the agreement preserves the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom, upholds the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and ensures people and businesses that rely on an open border between Northern Ireland and Ireland can continue living their lives and operating as they do now.
Northern Ireland’s business community, in particular, has been very supportive of the deal. More than 93% of Manufacturing Northern Ireland members back this deal, as do other business and farming representative bodies such as the Federation of Small Business, the Institute of Directors and the Ulster Farmers’ Union.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the change in the number of people working in the public sector has been since 2010.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will publish the names of the regulatory bodies that (a) report to and (b) are overseen by each Government department.
Answered by Chloe Smith
From summer 2017 all Departments are required to publish Accounting Officer System Statements containing the names of bodies operating at arm’s length from central government departments, including those with regulatory functions. These statements are to be reviewed annually and republished when there are any material changes.
The statements can be found at :
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/accounting-officer-system-statements
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Official Receiver for Carillion is not allowed to sell existing PFI contracts.
Answered by Oliver Dowden
It is the responsibility of the Insolvency Service and the Official Receiver to secure the best outcome for the delivery of public sector services and projects.