It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.

We are providing around £600 million of funding for the remediation of unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding in high rise residential buildings in the social and private sector. We are pushing owners and local authorities hard to remediate unsafe buildings and we expect to see building owners take action. We have so far allocated £259 million to replace cladding on 140 social sector buildings. In the private sector we expect all eligible buildings to have applied to the fund by the end of this year. We will continue to maintain pressure on developers and building owners to do the right thing and get on with remediation. We will set out progress on remediation in the next data release on 14 November.

Following the collapse of Carillion, the Government agreed to support the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust’s decision to end its private finance initiative (PFI) deal, and also the Trust’s activities to arrange for the completion of the construction of the new hospital including any required demolition of earlier construction.

The National Audit Office are currently carrying out an investigation with a scope that includes the Government’s response after the collapse of Carillion, the subsequent letting of the new contracts. This report is expected to be published in November 2019.

The Trust have worked with the replacement contractor Laing O’Rourke and external advisers in undertaking a fully costed assessment of all the works needed to complete the new Royal Liverpool hospital. This assessment will be set out in a business case, which the Trust intends to submit to NHS Improvement and the Department for approval soon.

NHS Improvement and the Department are liaising closely with the Trust to ensure that the hospital is completed as soon as is possible.

The Home Office does not hold information on the number of police officer posts removed from 2010. Police workforce data is collected annually on joiners and leavers and can be found in police workforce statistics which are available via: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2019

The Government has announced the police officer recruitment targets for police forces across England and Wales in the first year of the drive to increase ranks by 6,000 by March 2021, and an unprecedented 20,000 over the next three years. The information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-office-announces-first-wave-of-20000-police-officer-uplift

The Home Office does not centrally hold the information requested.

The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on the number of police officers in each Police Force Area (PFA) in England and Wales, as well as the number of officers that leave each year, in the annual ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin.

The number of officers employed in each PFA as at 31 March of each year between 2010 and 2019 is available in open data tables here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/817734/open-data-table-police-workforce.ods

The Home Office does not hold data on how many and what proportion of police officer posts have been reduced by in each police force in England and Wales in each year since 2010. The size and composition of the police workforce is a local decision for Police and Crime Commissioners, working with chief officers.

Strengthening police numbers is a priority for the government, which is providing £750 million to support forces to recruit up to 6,000 additional officers onto our streets by the end of 2020-21, the first stage in an uplift of 20,000 officers over the next three year. All officers recruited as part of the 20,000 uplift will be additional to those hired to fill existing vacancies. They are also on top of the extra officers already being recruited because of the £1 billion increase in police funding for 2019-20, which includes money from council tax and for serious violence.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the Post Office Network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Although the future of each branch is an operational matter for Post Office Limited, the Department has had previous discussions with Post Office Limited regarding the future of the Crown post office in Dingle, Liverpool. Post Office Limited has assured the Department that they are wholeheartedly committed to serving the community in Dingle and they are currently considering all the options available to maintain access to Post Office services when the current contract comes to an end on 4 December 2019.

I have therefore asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member to provide further information on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) monitors the performance of the UKVCAS website and regularly reviews feedback from customers to ensure the website meets their needs and expectations.

So far, since service inception in November, the following improvements have been made to the online booking system:

- more detailed information in the FAQs section to help customers resolve problems
- improved visibility of appointments by expanding the number of locations that customers can view from four to eight.
- extended period for customers booking appointments from four to six weeks for core service points and from two to four weeks for enhanced service points.

Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) monitors the performance of the UKVCAS website and regularly reviews feedback from customers to ensure the website meets their needs and expectations.

So far, since service inception in November, the following improvements have been made to the online booking system:

- more detailed information in the FAQs section to help customers resolve problems
- improved visibility of appointments by expanding the number of locations that customers can view from four to eight.
- extended period for customers booking appointments from four to six weeks for core service points and from two to four weeks for enhanced service points.

As of 1 April 2019, there were 450 disability members in post across the First-tier Tribunal. This represents a significant increase from 358 members as of 1 April 2018. This information is taken from the Judicial Diversity statistics published at www.judiciary.uk/publications/judicial-diversity-statistics-2019

In terms of qualifications, the relevant statutory requirement is that “a person who is experienced in dealing with the physical or mental needs of disabled persons because they –

(a) work with disabled persons in a professional or voluntary capacity; or

(b) are themselves disabled.”

This is set out at www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/2692

The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust is working closely with Laing O’Rourke and external advisers in undertaking a fully-costed assessment of all the works needed to complete the new Royal Liverpool Hospital. This includes significant works required to fix the structural issues and defective works that have been identified following the termination of the private finance initiative contract in 2018. This assessment will be set out in a business case, which the Trust intends to submit to NHS Improvement and the Department for approval soon. In the meantime, preparation work is already underway by Laing O’Rourke.

Question 261477 refers to the commencement of Section 36 of the Equality Act 2010. Some parts of Section 36 of the Equality Act 2010 were commenced following Royal Assent to that Act. In March 2018, the Government announced its intention to commence the remaining parts of Section 36, which will enable disabled tenants to require that landlords and building owners to make reasonable adjustments to the common parts of dwellings, such as entry points, landings and stairs.

The Government is already consulting with local authorities to help identify and quantify any additional burdens this may have. A commencement date will be announced in due course.

Following the collapse of Carillion, the Government agreed to support both the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust’s decision to end its private finance initiative deal, and also the Trust’s activities to arrange for the completion of the construction of the new hospital.

The Trust is currently working closely with the replacement contractor Laing O’Rourke and external advisers in undertaking a fully costed assessment of all the works needed to complete the new Royal Liverpool hospital. This assessment will be set out in a business case, which the trust intends to submit to NHS Improvement and the Department for approval soon. In the meantime, preparation work is already underway by Laing O’Rourke.

NHS Improvement and the Department are liaising closely with the trust to ensure that the hospital is completed as soon as is possible.

Some parts of Section 36 of the Equality Act 2010 were commenced following Royal Assent to that Act. In March 2018, the Government announced its intention to commence the remaining parts of Section 36 in its response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee report on disability and the built environment. A commencement date will be announced in due course, after further work to identify and assess any additional burdens on local authorities.

The Global Fund continues to play a critical role in addressing the spread of antimicrobial resistance, a major global health threat. The Global Fund works to roll out new antimicrobials and diagnostic tools for example, helping to treat 102,000 people for drug-resistant tuberculosis in 2017. It also reduces the need for antimicrobials by: supporting and strengthening health systems; preventing infection (for example helping to distribute 197 million bed nets in 2017 to prevent malaria); and by supporting prompt diagnosis and treatment of disease.

The Government believes it is only right that people who are not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom contribute to the costs of National Health Service care they may need whilst visiting or staying here. The Department has no plans to suspend The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations or repeal Section 38 and 39 of the 2014 Immigration Act.

The UK Government is a major investor in tuberculosis (TB) research, for the development of diagnostics, improved treatments and TB vaccines. The UK also supports applied health research, to strengthen health systems, to ensure effective delivery of health services so that new products, once available, can be used appropriately.

To date, DFID support has been instrumental in the development of five new diagnostics for TB, including GeneXpert, which is used routinely in the UK NHS, has reduced the time taken to diagnose drug-sensitive and drug resistant TB from several weeks to a few hours. DFID support also enabled the development of the first paediatric TB medicine, which is now available in 80 countries across the globe.

Executive appointments are made by a committee of the Board of the NHS Trust in accordance with Schedule 4 to the NHS Act 2006 and the National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990. The committee consists of the chair, the non-executive directors and, in the case of an appointment other than the chief executive, the chief executive.

Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has proposed an acquisition of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, which is planned to take place on 1 October 2019. The chief executive of The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust is due to leave the post at the end of March 2019 and the Trust is currently undertaking a recruitment process for an interim chief executive for a period of six months from 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019.

We have confirmed our settlement for local government for 2019-20, which sees a real-terms increase in local government spending power next year. Core spending power increases from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20. For Liverpool, core spending power will rise from £449 million in 2018-19 to £458 million in 2019-20.

All long-term spending decisions are for this year’s Spending Review, when the government will set out its approach for the future.

We understand that leaseholders in Heysmoor Heights have been protected from a substantial proportion of the overall remediation costs due to a warranty claim being accepted. However, we continue to set our strong expectation that leaseholders should be protected from all remediation costs. We have written to, and continue to engage with, individual building owners to reiterate this expectation.

Improvements to rail connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester are being considered as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project. Options include a direct connection from the HS2 line to Liverpool.

Transport for the North is working closely with partners across the North to develop the strategic outline business case for NPR. This is an important milestone for the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme, and I look forward to receiving their advice in the new year.

The UK has not agreed that Gibraltar will be excluded from the territorial scope of the future relationship between the EU and the UK. The UK, in a letter to the EU Council, and the Council, in the minutes of the Special November Council, set out their shared interpretation that Article 184 of the Withdrawal Agreement, which concerns the UK and the EU’s future relationship, imposes no obligations regarding the territorial scope of future agreements. The UK also made clear we will only agree a deal on the future which works for the whole UK family and we will negotiate a deal that works for Gibraltar.

The Article 50 Council guidelines are an internal matter for the Council in Article 50 format. Statements or actions by the EU institutions or other member states have no effect on the United Kingdom’s sovereignty over Gibraltar.

On Gibraltar, we have worked constructively with both the EU and the Government of Gibraltar throughout the process of agreeing the Withdrawal Agreement. We have ensured that Gibraltar is covered by both the Withdrawal Agreement and by the Implementation Period. We look forward to taking a similar approach for the future.

The national roll-out of Universal Credit is nearing completion with over 85% of job centres already live, with this process set to fully complete by the end of 2018.

Stopping roll-out would result in confusion for claimants already receiving Universal Credit, and for others who would be trapped for longer in a legacy benefit system consisting of 6 different benefits, each with separate rules, interacting in complicated ways, and creating perverse incentives. Universal Credit replaces these benefits simplifying the system and making work pay. As a result, people claiming Universal Credit move into work faster, stay in work longer and spend more time looking to increase their earnings.

We continue to follow the treatment of the Baha'is in Yemen closely, including through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities. Yemen is a human rights priority country for the UK, and the persecution of individuals on the basis of their religious beliefs is a serious violation of international human rights law. We are concerned by reports of arbitrary detention of members of the Baha'i community, and abuse of detainees, in areas of Yemen under Houthi control. We wholly condemn this mistreatment. We are working closely with our partners to raise these concerns directly with the Houthi authorities and press for the release of detained individuals.

The UK and Bahrain enjoy an open dialogue where we are able to discuss a range of issues, including human rights.

During my visit to Bahrain 26-28 October I had a range of bilateral meetings with Bahraini interlocutors and covered many issues, including human rights.

Statistics on the average length of time for Personal Independence Payment appeals to be cleared are provided in Table T.3 of the quarterly bulletin “Tribunals and gender recognition certificate statistics quarterly – April to June 2018” published by the Ministry of Justice. These can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2018

The Home Office plans to carry out an audit of organisations’ Modern Slavery Statements after 31 March 2019 and intends to publish a list of non-compliant organisations after this date.

When fully rolled out, Universal Credit will support low income families with around £60 billion a year across the whole of Great Britain. In addition, Universal Credit covers up to 85% of childcare costs, up from 70% in the old system.

The Department has made no assessment in Liverpool Riverside specifically. However we continue to evaluate progress as we roll out Universal Credit nationally in a careful and co-ordinated way, reviewing against key measures, to ensure safe and secure delivery.

We know that work is the best route out of poverty, and Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives to move into and progress in work. The impact of Universal Credit cannot be considered in isolation– it is a key component of a broader strategy to move Britain to a higher wage, lower welfare, lower tax society.

EU students make a powerful contribution to our world-class higher education sector. The government wants that contribution to continue and we are confident – given the quality of our higher education sector – that it will. We are similarly committed to the English language teaching sector and recognise the opportunities and value this brings to institutions in both the UK and abroad.

The government is undertaking a comprehensive and wide-ranging programme of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. In addition, the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recently published its report on the impact of international students in the UK, which highlighted the important part that international students play in the UK education sector, the economy and our society. The MAC report will inform our decision-making and we will consider their recommendations carefully before setting out further detail on the UK’s future immigration system; the government plan to publish a white paper on the future immigration system later this year.

In the meantime, to help provide certainty for prospective students and the sector, we have given assurances on student finance for EU students starting courses in 2019/20 academic year or before. We have also reached an agreement with the EU guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and of UK nationals living in the EU. EU citizens living in the UK by 31 December 2020, along with their family members, will be able to stay with the same access to work, study, benefits and public services that they enjoy now.

The Department and NHS Improvement are working with the Trust to conclude discussions and agree final terms with funders for a managed termination of the current contract. This agreement will enable the Trust to continue working with the existing main construction contractors on site to minimise any further delay and complete the hospital as soon as possible.

Subject to legal agreements being reached as part of this process, construction work could restart as early as November. If this is the case, we would expect the new Royal Liverpool to be completed in 2020.

Ministers have been very clear that in the private sector it is the responsibility of the building owner, or responsible person, to fund the measures necessary to ensure the safety of residents and must do all they can to protect leaseholders from additional costs. We are encouraged by those in the sector, such as Barratt Developments, Mace, Legal & General and Taylor Wimpey, who are doing the right thing and taking responsibility, and we expect others to follow their lead.

The Secretary of State has recently written to all private sector building owners who are currently committed to passing costs to leaseholders, and to those who are yet to make clear their plans to remediate their buildings, or their intention to pass on costs.

These letters set the expectation that there is a moral imperative for private sector landlords to do the right thing and remove unsafe cladding quickly and not leave leaseholders to cover the cost. We have made clear that we have ruled out no options if industry, individual building owners, or developers do not come forward with their own solutions.

The Government remains absolutely committed to getting the new Royal Liverpool Hospital built as quickly as possible and officials are working closely with the existing lenders and the Trust to achieve this. There is a key milestone on 30 September, the longstop date set in the existing Private Finance Initiative contact for the completed hospital to be handed over to the Trust. This milestone is not now going to be met.

Once this date has passed the Trust has the option of declaring that the project is in default, which would be followed by the contract being terminated. The Government has indicated to the Trust that it will support them in whatever next steps they need to take, be it termination or some other option, to ensure the project is not delayed further. The timetable for opening the hospital will be an important factor in deciding on the best route forward and we are working towards achieving a decision on this by the end of September.

To date, significant concerns have been identified with work carried out by Carillion, and the investigation of this has resulted in delays.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all refugees have access to the English language support they need. For refugees resettled in the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme the Government has provided additional funding which can be accessed by local authorities. Those who make their own way to the UK to claim asylum and are granted refugee status are eligible for funding for English language courses through the Adult Education Budget. Courses are free for unemployed refugees who are looking for work.

The Government published the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper on 14^th March (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/integrated-communities-strategy-green-paper). This included proposals on the future of integration support for refugees and set out that the Government will work with civil society to increase integration support for refugees recognised after arrival in the UK. The Green Paper committed Government to share best practice and build on learning about what works in relation to support for refugees on employment, English language, mental health and cultural orientation. It also proposed the development of a new English language strategy for England.

Consultation on the Green Paper closed in June and there will be a Government response in the Autumn.

The Government does not hold data on the average length of pay between assignment contracts. Alongside the Government response to Matthew Taylor’s review of modern working practices, we launched a public consultation that covers, amongst other areas, the issue of pay between assignment contracts. As part of this, we asked for information on the use of these contracts. The consultation recently closed. We are considering the responses and we will set out next steps shortly.

As stated in the answer I gave to Question 158172, officials from the Department of Health and Social Care are working closely on this matter with those from Her Majesty’s Treasury and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to ensure that the hospital can be completed as quickly as is possible.

The Government is committed to English language teaching and recognises the opportunities and value this brings to schools in both the UK and abroad.

The Government values international exchange and collaboration in education and training as part of its vision for a global Britain. As the PM said in her Mansion House speech on 2 March, ‘There are many other areas where the UK and EU economies are closely linked – including education and culture.’ We will continue to take part in specific policies and programmes which are greatly to the UK and the EU’s joint advantage, such as those that promote science, education and culture, such as Erasmus+.

As of 14 June 2018, from the results of Building Research Establishment large-scale system tests and the information provided to us by local authorities we know of 297 private sector residential buildings with cladding systems that are unlikely to meet current Building Regulations guidance. Local authorities have told us about plans for remediating 72 buildings. Of these, 21 buildings have started remediation, of which 4 have completed.

We have made it clear that we expect building owners and industry to explore all options to protect leaseholders from incurring the costs associated with replacing unsafe cladding. Some in the sector, such as Barratt Developments, Legal & General and Taylor Wimpey, are doing the right thing and taking responsibility. We want others to follow their ​lead and we will continue to encourage them to do so. They must do the right thing, and if they do not, we are not ruling anything out at this stage.

The Withdrawal Agreement ensures that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes, such as Horizon 2020, will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU for the lifetime of projects financed by the current MFF, including where funding agreed before the end of the transition period extends beyond 2020. UK based organisations and individuals will be able to bid for funding, participate in and lead consortia, until programme closure.

This provides valuable reassurance to UK researchers and institutions that they can continue to collaborate with European partners for the lifetime of projects financed by the current MFF, and vice versa.

Once agreed as part of the Withdrawal Treaty, this will supersede the requirement for the domestic guarantee announced by the Government in 2016. UK organisations should continue to bid for EU funding with the assurance that payments will continue after our departure from the EU.

As provided for in all franchise agreements, The Secretary of State, in his discretion, may at any time decide to reimburse or ameliorate net losses of the Franchisee arising from Industrial Action (however caused and of whatever nature) in circumstances where the Franchisee has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State that it has taken all reasonable steps to avoid the Industrial Action and that, Industrial Action having nevertheless occurred, the Franchisee has taken all reasonable steps to mitigate its effects. However, no payments have been made under the relevant Franchise Agreement provision.

Officials from the Department of Health and Social Care are working closely on this matter with those from Her Majesty’s Treasury and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and of course with relevant senior staff of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure that the hospital can be completed as quickly as is possible. As is to be expected with a situation like this, meetings and discussions are also taking place with representatives from the Private Finance Initiative Project Company (The Hospital Company (Liverpool) Holdings Limited) on a very frequent basis.

At the end of April 2018, 39,200 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) new claims and 36,200 Daily Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims which had been referred to the assessment provider were awaiting an assessment.

The average (median) outstanding time for both new claims and reassessments was 3 weeks from the point of referral to the assessment provider.

Notes:

1. Outstanding assessments are defined as claims which have been referred to an assessment provider but which have not yet had a decision.

2. Outstanding time is measured as the average time between the date of referral to the Assessment Providers and the date at the end of the reported calendar month, for all claims awaiting a return from the Assessment Provider, i.e. we check the number of claimants that were outstanding on the last day of each month and measure the period for which they have been outstanding.

3. The median time is the middle value if you were to order all the times within the distribution from lowest value to highest value. The median is presented here instead of the mean because the mean can be unduly affected by outlying cases (e.g. cases where the person has been hard to reach due to being in prison, hospital, or failed to attend the assessment on numerous occasions.

4. The status of claims as 'normal rules' and 'new claim/reassessment' is the most recent known status for each claim.

5. Data exclude Award Reviews

6. Unpublished figures taken from the PIP Atomic Data Store.

7. Figures exclude claims made under Special Rules for the Terminally Ill.

8. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and whole number of weeks.

9. Great Britain only.

There is an annual cap set relating to amount of performance sum payments made by Arriva Rail North relating to the cancellation of train services.

I spoke with Richard Silva, the Chief Executive of Long Harbour which administer Abacus Land 4 Ltd, on 23 May. Mr Silva informed me that Abacus Land 4 Ltd is owned by pension fund holders. I affirmed the Government's position that leaseholders should not have to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe aluminium composite material cladding in the Heysmoor Heights building.

We expect building owners in the private sector to explore all options to protect leaseholders from incurring the costs associated with replacing unsafe cladding. The Secretary of State recently held roundtables with leaseholders to understand their concerns and with industry to discuss the barriers to remediation and potential solutions. We are considering the proposals made and have not ruled out any options.

Building owners should do all they can to protect leaseholders from costs arising from fire safety works in buildings clad with potentially unsafe aluminium composite material cladding – either funding it themselves or looking at alternative routes such as insurance claims, warranties or legal action. This could include working with the developer to reach a solution which avoids costs being passed to leaseholders. In the case of Citiscape, the decision to cover costs was made by the original developer, not the current owner. I have also arranged to speak with the agent of Heysmoor Heights’ freeholder regarding the costs of remediation.

The human rights situation in Iran is of serious concern. This includes the treatment of Baha'i students following the 1991 memorandum. The Foreign Secretary raised our human rights concerns with the Iranian Government during his visit to Iran on 9-10 December, as did I during Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi's visit to London in February this year.

The human rights situation in Iran is of serious concern. This includes the treatment of Baha'i students and schoolchildren. We encourage the Iranian authorities to end discrimination against students from all minority backgrounds. The Foreign Secretary raised our human rights concerns with the Iranian Government during his visit to Iran on 9-10 December, as did I during Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi's visit to London in February this year.

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract between the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust and the PFI Project Company is still in place, which means that the Company is still contractually obliged to manage the project and find a construction firm or subcontractor who can continue the building work. The PFI Project Company is continuing its discussions with their lenders and with other service and construction companies to assess how best to continue delivering the contract. Officials from across Government are continuing to work very actively with all the parties to ensure there are plans in place to keep the delay as short as possible.

The requirement that students in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance make a £200 contribution towards the costs of computer hardware was introduced in 2015. The government has no current plans to review the size of that contribution.

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract between the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust and the PFI Project Company is still in place, which means that the Company is still contractually obliged to manage the project and find a construction firm or subcontractor who can continue the building work.

The Royal Liverpool Hospital scheme is very well advanced. The PFI Project Company is continuing its discussions with their lenders and with other service and construction companies to assess how best to continue delivering the contract. Officials from the Department and NHS Improvement are continuing to work very actively with all the parties to ensure there are plans in place to keep the delay as short as possible and provide the best value for money solution for the trust and for the public sector as a whole.