Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is her Department's policy that government procurement cards should not be used for purchases (a) of alcohol and (b) that could be made via an alternative compliant purchasing route.
Government Procurement Cards are one of many routes to market and purchasing. Cards are used for low value, low risk goods and services and non-contentious irregular items from one-off suppliers. These items can also be procured through a self-service purchase order route.
Alcohol purchases are permitted only in exceptional circumstances and require additional approval from a senior civil servant.