Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeal contract with Addleshaw Goddard LLP, as listed in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts: data for July to September 2025, published on 25 December 2025, why increasing the percentage of female partners by 2 per cent over the contract period is a KPI for delivery of that contract.

Under the 2020 Procurement Policy Note (since updated) departments must explicitly evaluate Social Value (SV) in most procurements above the relevant financial threshold, where it is related and proportionate to the contract, to ensure that public spending delivers wider economic, social and environmental benefits alongside the goods or services being purchased. The policy note also mandates an appropriate KPI.

The Government’s SV Model provided a menu of outcomes aligned to government priorities. The outcome selected was tackling inequality in the supplier’s workforce which included focus on women in shortlists for recruitment and promotions, with the chosen KPI aligning to that.