To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public sector occupation in the West Midlands has the greatest level of earnings relative to the local average.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public sector occupation in the West Midlands has the greatest level of earnings relative to the local average.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 619W, on departmental procurement, if he will publish the Efficiency and Reform Group's analysis of procurement spend.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 619W, on departmental procurement, if he will publish the Efficiency and Reform Group's analysis of procurement spend.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the ratio of male to female workers in each public sector occupation in the West Midlands is.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the ratio of male to female workers in each public sector occupation in the West Midlands is.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department has assessed the Welsh Government's community benefit policy on public procurement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department has assessed the Welsh Government's community benefit policy on public procurement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to submit their tax records for scrutiny as a part of the process; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to submit their tax records for scrutiny as a part of the process; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which (a) private sector and (b) charities and third sector organisations (i) attended and (ii) were invited to his Department's briefing on 26 April 2012 on bid opportunities for Government contracts; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which (a) private sector and (b) charities and third sector organisations (i) attended and (ii) were invited to his Department's briefing on 26 April 2012 on bid opportunities for Government contracts; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to comply with specified (a) social, (b) environmental and (c) ethical criteria; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to comply with specified (a) social, (b) environmental and (c) ethical criteria; and if he will make a statement.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will adjust the block grant for Scotland and Northern Ireland if public sector pension schemes in those countries are not adjusted to introduce heightened employee contribution rates.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will adjust the block grant for Scotland and Northern Ireland if public sector pension schemes in those countries are not adjusted to introduce heightened employee contribution rates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of public sector redundancies on attendance figures for the arts in the (a) North East, (b) West Midlands and (c) North West Region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of public sector redundancies on attendance figures for the arts in the (a) North East, (b) West Midlands and (c) North West Region.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the provisions of the Public Service (Social Value) Act 2012 are implemented during new procurement negotiations.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the provisions of the Public Service (Social Value) Act 2012 are implemented during new procurement negotiations.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made in reducing fraud, overdue debt and errors in public procurement; and how much has been saved through such initiatives since May 2010.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made in reducing fraud, overdue debt and errors in public procurement; and how much has been saved through such initiatives since May 2010.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women in employment were members of public sector pension schemes in each of the last 30 years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women in employment were members of public sector pension schemes in each of the last 30 years.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on competition in the provision of public services.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on competition in the provision of public services.

The hon. Gentleman is making a passionate case, but it is framed as public versus private. The reality is that we are looking at any number of models to deliver our public services. We have social enterprises and co-operatives. Surely, we should look at the outcome and not the structure...

The hon. Gentleman is making a passionate case, but it is framed as public versus private. The reality is that we are looking at any number of models to deliver our public services. We have social enterprises and co-operatives. Surely, we should look at the outcome and not the structure...

I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention, but there is a danger of fragmentation, even with some of the models that she mentions—for example, in the national health service and social care. If we are trying to promote integrated services, a plethora of private sector and even voluntary sector...

I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention, but there is a danger of fragmentation, even with some of the models that she mentions—for example, in the national health service and social care. If we are trying to promote integrated services, a plethora of private sector and even voluntary sector...

My hon. Friend is developing a pertinent point. If we outsource public services—a public commodity—to the private sector, in some way, shape or form the private sector has to make a profit to give to its shareholders. That seems to be the logic from the Government's perspective, but it will...

My hon. Friend is developing a pertinent point. If we outsource public services—a public commodity—to the private sector, in some way, shape or form the private sector has to make a profit to give to its shareholders. That seems to be the logic from the Government's perspective, but it will...

That is an excellent point, and we should be guided by the evidence. If the Minister can demonstrate that that is not the case, I will be interested to hear his response. Certainly, in relation to the national health service, the detailed impact assessment published with the Health and Social...

That is an excellent point, and we should be guided by the evidence. If the Minister can demonstrate that that is not the case, I will be interested to hear his response. Certainly, in relation to the national health service, the detailed impact assessment published with the Health and Social...

I agree that there are various interpretations of what constitutes public sector reform, and I will speak about academies in a few moments. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her intervention. On all three points illustrated in that detailed survey, the Government are out of step with the...

I agree that there are various interpretations of what constitutes public sector reform, and I will speak about academies in a few moments. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her intervention. On all three points illustrated in that detailed survey, the Government are out of step with the...

Does my hon. Friend agree that there are different interpretations of public sector reform? For example, Labour set up academies in areas of high deprivation, but the Tory-led Government turned that on its head. Their interpretation is anti the public good.

Does my hon. Friend agree that there are different interpretations of public sector reform? For example, Labour set up academies in areas of high deprivation, but the Tory-led Government turned that on its head. Their interpretation is anti the public good.

We seem to be hearing a political diatribe against outsourcing. What would the hon. Gentleman say the previous Government were up to when they successfully outsourced many services? Indeed, many Labour councils, as well as Conservative and Liberal Democrat councils, followed in the footsteps of those pioneering Conservative councils of...

We seem to be hearing a political diatribe against outsourcing. What would the hon. Gentleman say the previous Government were up to when they successfully outsourced many services? Indeed, many Labour councils, as well as Conservative and Liberal Democrat councils, followed in the footsteps of those pioneering Conservative councils of...