Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what criteria her Department based its decision to award the contract for assessing personal independence payment claimants to (a) Capita and (b) Independent Assessment Services.

The Department for Work and Pensions awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts in 2012.

Each contract was awarded to the supplier offering the most economically advantageous tender for each contract Lot (geographical area), using an open fair and transparent evaluation methodology.

The Department used the following evaluation criteria for all contracts:

• 60% Quality Assessment
• 30% Finance Assessment
• 10% Risk Assessment

Capita Business Services Ltd were awarded the Lot 2 contract, covering Central England and Wales.

Atos IT Services UK Ltd (now trading as Independent Assessment Services) were awarded the Lot 1 contract, covering North East England, North West England & Scotland and Lot 3 contract, covering London and Southern England.