Written questions by Lopez.

What proportion of procurement contracts awarded by each Government Department were to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in each of the last five financial years.

The Government is determined to ensure the £400 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth and supports British businesses, especially SMEs. The Cabinet Office does not hold a central record of the proportion of procurement contracts awarded by each Government Department to SMEs over the last five financial years. The Government is, however, introducing targets for SME spend going forwards. The Government is also taking a number of further steps to support SMEs. We have published a National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which requires contracting authorities to consider ways to increase procurement spend with SMEs and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). The Crown Commercial Service has also published an SME Action Plan which sets out the steps it is taking to support Government Departments maximise their procurement spend with SMEs, by removing barriers to participation and opening up opportunities to SMEs through their commercial agreements. We have also introduced changes allowing local councils to reserve over one billion pounds worth of lower value contracts to suppliers based locally or within the UK which has recently become law, a step strongly supported by SMEs. We will set out further reforms, including the response to the recent public procurement consultation, in due course. These reforms will further support British SMEs to bid for contracts.

What steps the Government Commercial Agency is taking to help improve access to Government procurement processes for (a) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and (b) other suppliers with expertise in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

The Government is determined to ensure the £400 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth and supports British businesses, especially SMEs. The Cabinet Office does not hold a central record of the proportion of procurement contracts awarded by each Government Department to SMEs over the last five financial years. The Government is, however, introducing targets for SME spend going forwards. The Government is also taking a number of further steps to support SMEs. We have published a National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which requires contracting authorities to consider ways to increase procurement spend with SMEs and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). The Crown Commercial Service has also published an SME Action Plan which sets out the steps it is taking to support Government Departments maximise their procurement spend with SMEs, by removing barriers to participation and opening up opportunities to SMEs through their commercial agreements. We have also introduced changes allowing local councils to reserve over one billion pounds worth of lower value contracts to suppliers based locally or within the UK which has recently become law, a step strongly supported by SMEs. We will set out further reforms, including the response to the recent public procurement consultation, in due course. These reforms will further support British SMEs to bid for contracts.

What progress his Department has made on achieving the Government’s objectives for supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises participation in public procurement.

The Government is determined to ensure the £400 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth and supports British businesses, especially SMEs. The Cabinet Office does not hold a central record of the proportion of procurement contracts awarded by each Government Department to SMEs over the last five financial years. The Government is, however, introducing targets for SME spend going forwards. The Government is also taking a number of further steps to support SMEs. We have published a National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which requires contracting authorities to consider ways to increase procurement spend with SMEs and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). The Crown Commercial Service has also published an SME Action Plan which sets out the steps it is taking to support Government Departments maximise their procurement spend with SMEs, by removing barriers to participation and opening up opportunities to SMEs through their commercial agreements. We have also introduced changes allowing local councils to reserve over one billion pounds worth of lower value contracts to suppliers based locally or within the UK which has recently become law, a step strongly supported by SMEs. We will set out further reforms, including the response to the recent public procurement consultation, in due course. These reforms will further support British SMEs to bid for contracts.

What steps her Department is taking to facilitate public sector access to Artificial Intelligence expertise through procurement; and how the Government Commercial Agency will (a) identify, (b) accredit and (c) engage individuals and organisations that supply Artificial Intelligence expertise.

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) facilitates public sector access to Artificial Intelligence (AI) expertise primarily through the AI Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). This agreement provides a flexible route for the public sector to procure AI services from a range of specialist suppliers. CCS manages flexible commercial agreements that regularly engage the market and encourage new suppliers to join. To be admitted, all providers must demonstrate that they meet the required standards and assessment criteria, ensuring high-quality expertise is available across the public sector. Until the Government Commercial Agency is established, these functions will continue to be led by CCS.

With reference to the SFIA rate card in Annex 5 of the signed Work Order for Project_7114, published on Contracts Finder on 9 July 2025, if he will (a) publish the underlying rate card and (b) disclose any mark-up charged by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd on rates paid to Public Digital Ltd.

This information is commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be disclosed.

If he will itemise each (a) contract awarded and (b) payment made to Public Digital by his Department since 4 July 2024.

All contract award information is available on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk.All CO spend information above £25,000 is published on a monthly basis and is available on Gov.Uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data

If he will commission an investigation by the Government Internal Audit Agency into contracts awarded to Public Digital since 4 July 2024.

The Government Internal Audit Agency sits within HM Treasury. The Procurement Review Unit (PRU) sits within Cabinet Office and is responsible for the new oversight powers introduced by the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) (which commenced on 24 February 2025) which governs the award of public contracts. The PRU has not received a referral to investigate contracts awarded to Public Digital.

With reference to contract reference Contract_17123 for the Public Sector Reform Test, Learn and Grow Strategic Delivery Partner, how many suppliers were invited to bid for the contract through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd; and whether Public Digital Ltd was directly nominated.

8 Suppliers were invited to bid for the work order through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd and all 8 of the suppliers were directly nominated.