Contributions
259 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyYes, the hon. Gentleman can. As he can clearly detect from what I am trying to say, the thrust is that I want to do more to support British businesses and industries, and I want…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyThere are few greater champions of the buy British agenda than my hon. Friend, although there are a few of us in the Government as well. We are trying to make progress on that…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI can only apologise, Mr Speaker. In conclusion, these reforms will back British businesses and workers, build a fair economy, and simplify and open up our Government procurement…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement Strategyrose—22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyBuilding on that previous point, it is really important that we do as much as we can to support British farming and have a national plan for food security. I am happy to take up…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI would very much like to do so. I have spoken with the Department for Transport about this. This is a broader issue about how we work with regional authorities and within our…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyIt is always nice to have a kind invitation to come up the road to Burgess Hill. The hon. Lady raises a really good point. I do not know the specifics of the company, but she…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. To clarify, the guidance that we are bringing forward and the reforms that I am talking about today will apply to Government Departments, not…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyThe hon. Member is right to say that part of what I am trying to do is support British businesses and reduce our reliance on others. On his specific point about Palantir, the two…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyMy hon. Friend brings a huge level of expertise and background experience to the issue. I reassure her that part of the package that I announced before Easter is aimed at helping…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyTrade union rights are not inconsistent with what I am setting out. I am sorry, but I do not know what point the hon. Gentleman is making, because there is no requirement to have…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyWhat an excellent question! I am afraid that I will have to get back to the hon. Gentleman as I do not know the answer— [ Interruption. ] None of the measures in the announcement…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyMy hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Obviously the shipbuilding industry is incredibly important for her constituency and for others around the country, and specific points in…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI have to say that of all the questions I was mulling over when I was going through this, the impact on Jammie Dodgers was not top of my list, but maybe it should have been—I will…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI thank my hon. Friend for his question—he has raised a number of points. He talked about supporting SMEs, which is incredibly important to what the Government are trying to do…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI congratulate my hon. Friend on his ten-minute rule Bill. He has raised an important issue, one that is obviously incredibly important to his constituency and many others. As I…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI would just point out that an opportunity is not a requirement. The question I was being posed was about a requirement to recognise trade unions—that is not the same as an…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyThe hon. Gentleman raises a really good point. As I said, one of the three principles behind this strategy is to reduce duplication, reduce burdens and simplify the system. My…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyAbsolutely. We should be much prouder, as a Government and as a political party, about supporting British businesses and local communities. That is what I am trying to do with…22 Apr 2026HANSARDGovernment Procurement StrategyI thank the hon. Member for those questions—let me try to answer a few of them. First, on SMEs and Department spend, as I say, part of the aim of this package is to support SMEs…22 Apr 2026