Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rob Roberts and Jeremy Quin

Thursday 16th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Rob Roberts (Delyn) (Ind)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the cost to the public purse of Government projects.

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Jeremy Quin)]

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority’s standards, tools and training for Government projects help to ensure that projects are set up for success. The IPA’s transforming infrastructure performance programme is helping to reduce the cost of projects.

[Rob Roberts]

It came as a shock to one of my constituents recently when I pointed out that more than 9,000 public sector workers are paid more than the Prime Minister, including £620,000 being paid to the chief executive of the continually failing HS2 Ltd. It is all public money, so does the Minister agree that we have to demand value for money from such appointments and cap excessive salaries from the public purse?

[Jeremy Quin]

I agree with my hon. Friend that it is essential that we get value for money from the investments we make in our people. There is a role for well-paid people to deliver important projects for the people of this country, but I assure him that any payments above £150,000—that covers the entire remuneration package, not just the salary—must be not only justified by the relevant Department, but personally signed off by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who takes a very close interest in such matters.