Extract from Commons statement on Businesses: Late Payments
Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey) (SNP): I
thank the Minister for advanced sight of her statement, which in
our case arrived in plenty of time for us to look at. We welcome
initiatives to curb late payments, but let us be frank: this does
not go nearly far enough. For anyone tuning in to last night’s Tory
hard Brexit hustings, it will come as no surprise that the UK
Government remain opposed to taking...Request free trial
Extract from Commons
statement on Businesses: Late Payments
(Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and
Strathspey) (SNP): I thank the Minister for advanced sight
of her statement, which in our case arrived in plenty of time for
us to look at. We welcome initiatives to curb late payments, but
let us be frank: this does not go nearly far enough. For anyone
tuning in to last night’s Tory hard Brexit hustings, it will come
as no surprise that the UK Government remain opposed to taking the
steps required to protect Scottish business. Does the Minister have
the good grace to agree that it is now beyond a joke that, in place
of serious policy steps, her statement merely proposes some minor
technological measures and platitudes on best practice? And she did
not fully answer this question, so can she confirm that she has
looked at the Scottish Government’s project bank account scheme?
Has she learnt any lessons about how that is protecting smaller
contractors and subcontractors on public procurement projects?
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Extracts from remaining
stages of the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and
Renewal) Bill
(Ogmore) (Lab): My hon.
Friend mentioned both Houses leading the way; in 2013, the Welsh
Government introduced a ban on the involvement of companies that
blacklist and do not recognise trade unions in the public
procurement process, such as the building of new schools and
hospitals. That ban is already in place and it is working well.
Because of those Welsh Government contracts, lots of organisations
in Wales have cleaned up their act and now work constructively with
trade unions and make sure that they have the most constructive
processes, particularly in respect of health and safety...
The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Kevin
Foster):...Where I have concerns, sadly, is in how this
amendment relates to procurement law. The Delivery Authority will
need to create a level playing field as per
the public
procurement rules. Within these parameters, it is
of course open to the Delivery Authority to encourage nations and
regions across the UK to participate fully in and
to benefit from the works processes. For example, the Delivery
Authority may take steps to ensure that companies UK-wide are aware
of the bids process by taking out advertising in regional media
outlets and perhaps by doing roadshows, as Heathrow airport has
done. However, in developing its procurement strategy and assessing
bids, it would not be lawful to factor in the geographical location
of companies. Adjusting the playing field in the way the amendment
prescribes would, I am advised, expose the Delivery Authority to
challenge under procurement law...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
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