Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that strategic suppliers build resilience into their delivery chains.

In 2019, the Government introduced arrangements for the monitoring and management of strategic suppliers through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) agreed between the Government and each strategic supplier. Under the MoU, strategic suppliers agree to provide the Government with information required to monitor and manage risks across their supply chains.

In addition, the Government regularly publishes Key Performance Indicators for its most significant contracts to maintain visibility of delivery performance. Individual contracting authorities are responsible for undertaking appropriate due diligence as part of their procurement processes.

The Procurement Act 2023 further strengthens the ability of contracting authorities to respond to poor performance and to mitigate risks across public sector supply chains.