Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is able to take to delay or prohibit the public release of a frontier AI model in instances when the UK AI Security Institute assesses that model as posing a serious risk of assisting users in developing chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are optimistic about how AI will transform the lives of British people for the better, but advanced AI could also lead to serious security risks.
The Government believes that AI should be regulated at the point of use, and takes a context-based approach. Sectoral laws give powers to take steps where there are serious risks - for example the Procurement Act 2023 can prevent risky suppliers (including those of AI) from being used in public sector contexts, whilst a range of legislation offers protections against high-risk chemical and biological incidents.
This approach is complemented by the work of the AI Security Institute, which works in partnership with AI labs to understand the capabilities and impacts of advanced AI, and develop and test risk mitigations.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for July to September 2025, published on 25 December 2025, and the Defence Digital contracts with KPMG LLP, for what reason is Tackling Eco Inequality, Fighting Climate Change, Health & Wellbeing deemed to be key performance indicators for the defence contract.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In relation to the defence contract, the social values chosen align to the requirements of the contract and the rationale of social value. Furthermore, it is also a mandatory requirement for Social Value to form Key Performance Indicators within public sector contracts, in accordance with guidance with the Procurement Policy Notice (PPN) 2.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what mechanisms are in place under the Strategic Partnership Arrangement 2024 with Microsoft to (a) monitor price changes for existing services and (b) assess the potential impact of prior purchasing decisions on the Government's ability to (i) switch providers and (ii) ensure the competitiveness of future contract awards.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Strategic Partnership Arrangement 2024 (SPA24) provides discounts and favourable terms to UK public sector customers. Contract prices are locked at the time of each authority's contract, for the duration of that contract. Any global price changes implemented by Microsoft during the life of the contract do not have an impact until an individual contract is renewed.
Under SPA24, Microsoft reports any global price changes to the Crown Commercial Service but again, these do not impact individual authority contracts until they are renewed. SPA24 includes governance in the form of both monthly meetings and confidential communications for Microsoft to share advance notice of price changes.
SPA24 is designed not to restrict the ability of public sector organisations to switch providers or ensure competitiveness because customers accessing Microsoft products through SPA24 are required to carry out a compliant procurement process and make their own assessment of value for money. There is no obligation on any public sector organisation to use Microsoft, or any of its specific offerings.
Asked by: Jerome Mayhew (Conservative - Broadland and Fakenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the identified in the Government’s October 2023 cost-benefit analysis of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate represents costs to the public purse; and if she will publish a breakdown of those Government costs.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate is the largest single carbon saving measure across Government and fundamental to the UK’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050. The cost-benefit analysis for the ZEV Mandate and CO2 regulations estimated the net value to society of the regulations. This was estimated at a benefit of £39 billion (2022 prices) over the full appraisal period, between 2021 and 2071.
There are three main sources of Government costs:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to encourage public bodies to prioritise the purchase of produce from (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has set a clear ambition for half of all food purchased across the public sector to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards within legal constraints. The Government is undertaking work to ensure we can deliver on this ambition, including to improve our understanding of what food the public sector currently buys and where it comes from. The Government has already published a new national procurement policy statement which sets expectations for Government contracts to favour products certified to higher environmental standards. The Government believes that high-quality British producers, including those based in South Holland and the Deepings constituency and Lincolnshire, will be well-placed to meet these standards.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to amend public procurement rules and procedures to allow building contractors to be involved with housing development schemes at an early stage.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The current procurement rules, which came into force on 24 February 2025, encourage contracting authorities to engage with the market before commencing a procurement. 5,000 pre-market engagement notices have now been published. This engagement is of particular importance under the new rules, where contracting authorities have significant flexibility to design and tailor their competitive procurement procedures.
We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses across the UK, including across the housing sector. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking for procurement to diversify their cloud services providers.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises its dependence on a small number of key suppliers for cloud services. As set out in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, we are addressing this by establishing the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence to strengthen digital procurement capability and improve supplier management. This includes working with Government Commercial Agency on the National Digital Exchange which is intended to make it easier for public sector organisations to access services from new cloud service providers, including SMEs. Together with the Procurement Act 2023, this will help ensure competition, innovation and resilience in government cloud services.
Asked by: Alison Hume (Labour - Scarborough and Whitby)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to public sector procurement processes on economic growth.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
This Government is committed to using procurement strategically to drive growth across the United Kingdom, as set out in the National Procurement Policy Statement published in February.
At Budget the Chancellor went further, announcing that we will reform our approach to procurement so that it can actively shape markets and manage demand in the national interest. The Government has consulted on reforms to public procurement and impact assessments will be undertaken as required.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on (a) the potential merits of prioritising British made vehicles through procurement and (b) holding accurate data on the number of British and non-British made vehicles procured across Government and its agencies.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring public procurement drives growth across the UK and supports British businesses.
We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses across the UK, including across the vehicle manufacturing sector. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.
Data on the number of British and non-British made vehicles procured across the Government and its agencies is not held centrally.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department measures its contribution to British vehicle manufacturing and skilled jobs through procurement.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring public procurement drives growth and creates jobs, skills and opportunities across the country.
We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses across the UK, including across the vehicle manufacturing sector. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.