Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rachel Reeves and Leigh Ingham

Tuesday 28th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)]

9. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure Government procurement supports British businesses.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves)]

We are reforming Government procurement rules so that we can buy more that is made in this country, and we have already changed the rules on steel, shipbuilding, energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence. But I do not just want big companies to be able to get contracts; I want to help smaller businesses and charities to access Government procurement. The Government are the biggest buyer of goods and services in the economy, and I want more of that money to be spent here in Britain.

[Leigh Ingham]

I thank the Chancellor for her answer. In Stafford, world-class manufacturers such as GE Vernova are producing the technology that powers our national grid, yet for far too long these British employers have not had money given to them through British Government contracts. I therefore warmly welcome the Government’s commitment to reform public sector procurement to grow British industry, British skills and British jobs. Can the Chancellor tell us how this new approach will ensure that Government spending reaches manufacturers and businesses in constituencies like Stafford and towns across our country, so that when the taxpayer spends, Britain builds?

[Rachel Reeves]

I am slightly disappointed that my hon. Friend did not mention that today is Staffordshire Day; Staffordshire oatcakes are available for Members from both sides of the House in the Tea Room. On the wider issue, we do need to buy, make and sell more in Britain, with more contracts going to firms in Staffordshire—not just for their brilliant oatcakes, but for their ceramics.

Public Spending: Inheritance

Debate between Rachel Reeves and Leigh Ingham

Monday 29th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Reeves]

I have done more in three and a half weeks to get a grip of our public finances than the previous Government did in 14 years. I have worked these last three and a half weeks to get a grip of the public finances and to understand the true extent and scale of the challenge. We have pulled this together over the last three weeks, and at the weekend we were able to produce the document showing the £22 billion gap between what the previous Government were spending and what they had budgeted for.

[Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)]

It is clear now that even the OBR, whose express purpose is to provide independent analysis of the public finances, was simply not told about the black hole in Conservative spending plans. What will the Chancellor do differently to ensure that we never end up in such a position again?

[Rachel Reeves]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. In the letter that the Office for Budget Responsibility published this afternoon, the Chair said,

“I welcome the important actions announced today by HM Treasury to improve the transparency and credibility of their institutional arrangements for forecasting, planning, and controlling DEL.”

That is really important. By taking these actions, we will ensure that never again can any Government do what the Conservative party did: cause a £22 billion black hole in our public finances.