Written questions by Rhodes.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that that public contracts are not awarded to companies blacklisting workers.

The Government is committed to tackling misconduct in public procurement. All contracting authorities and suppliers are expected to act, and be seen to act, with integrity. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 prohibit the compilation, usage, sale or supply of blacklists. Contracting authorities may exclude suppliers for blacklisting offences under the exclusion regime in the Procurement Act, which came into force in February 2025, for example, on the grounds of professional misconduct. Those suppliers may also be added to a central debarment list by the Cabinet Office. We will not hesitate to make use of those powers where there is evidence of wrongdoing.

In what ways the provisions in his Department's National Procurement Policy Statement, updated on 4 March 2025, will help the UK meet its environmental obligations in relation to supply chains.

The National Procurement Policy Statement sets out that public procurement should support the delivery of the government’s missions, including making Britain a clean energy superpower. It sets out considerations for contracting authorities around our environmental obligatoins. It also underscores the government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts.