Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether NEST employed external advisers and consultants regarding the procurement contract between the National Employment Savings Trust and Atos which was cancelled.

As a public corporation Nest Corporation is generally independent of government in its day-to-day commercial decisions. As the Trustee of the pension scheme, Nest Corporation has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of its pension scheme members. To fulfil this duty Nest Corporation has sole responsibility for the recruitment, retention of its staff, including external advisers and consultants to provide advice.