Written question asked by Paul Robert Holmes (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 22 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 April 2005. It was answered by Jane Kennedy (Labour) on Thursday, 7 April 2005 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus
- Question
- To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what minimum notice period Jobcentre Plus gives when cancelling contracts with employment and training providers; when the decision to review the timetable for letting Jobcentre Plus contracts for employment and training programmes in 2005 was taken; and what the reasons are for reviewing the timetable; what criteria Jobcentre Plus will use in making decisions on whether to extend contracts for employment and training, following the decision to review the 2005 timetable; what assessment has been made of the (a) time and (b) cost implications for (i) Jobcentre Plus officials and (ii) providers of the decision to review the timetable for letting Jobcentre Plus contracts for employment and training programmes in 2005; how many Jobcentre Plus contracts for 2005 (a) have been extended to October 2005 and (b) have been cancelled since the decision to review the timetable for letting was made, broken down by value.
- Answer
-
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what minimum notice period Jobcentre Plus gives when cancelling contracts with employment and training providers; [223863] (2) when the decision to review the timetable for letting Jobcentre Plus contracts for employment and training programmes in 2005 was taken; and what the reasons are for reviewing the timetable; [223867] (3) what criteria Jobcentre Plus will use in making decisions on whether to extend contracts for employment and training, following the decision to review the 2005 timetable; [223869] (4) what assessment has been made of the (a) time and (b) cost implications for (i) Jobcentre Plus officials and (ii) providers of the decision to review the timetable for letting Jobcentre Plus contracts for employment and training programmes in 2005; [223870] (5) how many Jobcentre Plus contracts for 2005 (a) have been extended to October 2005 and (b) have been cancelled since the decision to review the timetable for letting was made, broken down by value. [223871] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Paul Holmes, dated 7 April 2005: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning Jobcentre Plus contracts with employment and training providers and the decision to review the 2005 timetable. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. Our normal practice, wherever possible, is to commence discussions with providers three months before a contract is due to end. We do not cancel contracts during their lifespan except in extreme circumstances, such as a provider becoming insolvent or committing a serious breach of its contractual obligations. The need to review the timetable for letting new Jobcentre Plus Contracts was identified in December 2004. That review was prompted by the Department's recently published 5 year strategy which places an increased priority on helping those who are out of work because of sickness or disability and lone parents. With fewer people unemployed and a greater emphasis on providing support to disabled people through the New Deal for Disabled People and the Pathways to Work pilots, we needed to review our contracting strategy to ensure the provision we procure focuses support on those who need the most help. In the light of that review, the decision was taken to cease current procurement competitions. However, we were not in a position to finalise our strategy for letting new contracts until shortly before 25 February 2005, when Jobcentre Plus Field Directors and others had been informed of the changes to our timetable and the criteria for extending current contracts i.e. satisfactory performance, a clear business need or a mandatory requirement for the provision had been established. To deliver the DWP and Jobcentre Plus efficiency challenges and modernisation agendas it is vital that we obtain best value for money. We have now identified what provision needs to be in place to support our business objectives, and are now in the process of developing a timetable for the implementation of an overall contracting strategy designed to achieve better value for money in terms of process and required outcomes. With regard to the time and cost implications for those involved with Jobcentre Plus contracts for employment and training programmes, this information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. We are currently informing providers whether their current contracts are being extended or not. When this process has been completed I will write to you again with the answer to your question about this. I hope this is helpful.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 432 c1691-2W;432 c1687-8W; 223863;223867;223869;223870;223871
- Session
- 2004-05
- Related items
- Subjects
- Contracts Employment Employment schemes Jobcentre Plus Training
- Link
- View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk
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- 2013-11-24 22:20:15 +0000
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