Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of combining the roles of the (a) Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work and (b) Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression on ministerial capacity.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The new Minister for Disabled People has extensive experience of the issues that face disabled people and she will maintain the government’s relentless focus on improving their lives. She has been part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Ministerial Team since 2019 and brings a wealth of departmental knowledge.
What matters is action and the new Minister for Disabled People will continue to build on the Government’s strong track record of delivering for disabled people.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the length of time it took to appoint a new Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The new Minister for Disabled People has extensive experience of the issues that face disabled people and she will maintain the government’s relentless focus on improving their lives. She has been part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Ministerial Team since 2019 and brings a wealth of departmental knowledge.
What matters is action and the new Minister for Disabled People will continue to build on the Government’s strong track record of delivering for disabled people.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the position of Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work has become a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People, Health and Work.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The new Minister for Disabled People has extensive experience of the issues that face disabled people and she will maintain the government’s relentless focus on improving their lives. She has been part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Ministerial Team since 2019 and brings a wealth of departmental knowledge.
What matters is action and the new Minister for Disabled People will continue to build on the Government’s strong track record of delivering for disabled people.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2023 to Question 151404, what discussions representatives from the Crown Commercial service have had with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors between September 2019 and September 2022; and whether he plans to hold a roundtable with food and drinks wholesalers on the Buying Better Foods agreement.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
From September 2019 to date, the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has engaged with numerous suppliers that sit on the Council of Members for the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, to make sure that supplier concerns are being factored into the development of the agreement on Food and Drink.
CCS has met with representatives from the Federation of Wholesale Distributors as recently as January 2023, and will continue to do so in the run up to the tender going live in Summer 2023.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Crown Commercial service agreement on Food and Drink, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of that framework on (a) small to medium sized enterprises and (b) large wholesalers, including those in Battersea constituency.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) continues to work alongside the national food industry, including the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, to make sure that supplier concerns are being factored into the development of the proposed agreement on Food and Drink.
SMEs are crucial to the food supply chain and have been consulted as part of national supplier engagement, and suppliers and distributors in the Battersea constituency were included in this. Feedback from this shaped the procurement strategy for the framework agreement.
This Conservative Government has made sure SME producers will have increased opportunities to work with the public sector through the agreement and customers will be able to request nominated local products . These products would be consolidated into a single delivery with their food order.This will also be the first procurement for CCS in the food market, which will actually bring additional choice to public sector food buyers.
Finally, in terms of food quality standards, CCS has worked closely with Defra on this agreement to ensure there will be adherence to the updated Government Buying Standards for Food.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Crown Commercial service agreement on Food and Drink, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of this framework on the proportion of public sector food supply that is locally produced.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) continues to work alongside the national food industry, including the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, to make sure that supplier concerns are being factored into the development of the proposed agreement on Food and Drink.
SMEs are crucial to the food supply chain and have been consulted as part of national supplier engagement, and suppliers and distributors in the Battersea constituency were included in this. Feedback from this shaped the procurement strategy for the framework agreement.
This Conservative Government has made sure SME producers will have increased opportunities to work with the public sector through the agreement and customers will be able to request nominated local products . These products would be consolidated into a single delivery with their food order.This will also be the first procurement for CCS in the food market, which will actually bring additional choice to public sector food buyers.
Finally, in terms of food quality standards, CCS has worked closely with Defra on this agreement to ensure there will be adherence to the updated Government Buying Standards for Food.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Crown Commercial service agreement on Food and Drink, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of that framework on the quality of food supplied to the public sector.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) continues to work alongside the national food industry, including the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, to make sure that supplier concerns are being factored into the development of the proposed agreement on Food and Drink.
SMEs are crucial to the food supply chain and have been consulted as part of national supplier engagement, and suppliers and distributors in the Battersea constituency were included in this. Feedback from this shaped the procurement strategy for the framework agreement.
This Conservative Government has made sure SME producers will have increased opportunities to work with the public sector through the agreement and customers will be able to request nominated local products . These products would be consolidated into a single delivery with their food order.This will also be the first procurement for CCS in the food market, which will actually bring additional choice to public sector food buyers.
Finally, in terms of food quality standards, CCS has worked closely with Defra on this agreement to ensure there will be adherence to the updated Government Buying Standards for Food.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister plans to investigate the tax affairs of the Right hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Prime Minister asked the Independent Adviser to investigate this matter, establish the facts and provide advice on compliance with the Ministerial Code. The Independent Adviser’s report has subsequently been published on GOV.UK and sets out the circumstances and facts.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on the public inquiry into the Government's response to the covid-19 pandemic, announced on 21 May 2021.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into COVID-19 would be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers, and that it will begin its work in spring 2022.
Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent progress he has made on the commencement of the public inquiry into the handling of covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chloe Smith
On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed to this House that a public inquiry into COVID-19 would be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers, and that it will begin its work in spring 2022.
Further details, including terms of reference, will be set out in due course.