Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to ensure that public sector, in-house, social enterprise and not-for-profit provision are given full consideration before public services are contracted out to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Francis Maude

The Government believes that public service commissioners should consider all options when tendering contracts, securingbest quality service for users at the best value for taxpayers. This includes social enterprises, not-for-profit organisations and public sector mutuals.

We have provided support through the £10 million Mutuals Support Programme, another £10 million through the Investment and Contract Readiness Fund, and also established a programme of ‘commercial masterclasses’ on the skills needed to win public sector contracts.