Speeches by Thomas-Symonds.

“There are a few different points there. Clearly, there is an issue of volume, scale and security—obviously, with something of this size; there is no doubt about that. But what you just described about the nature of the scheme is one of the reasons why a technological solution—I have already read to the Committee the as…”

“The first point is that I did look very carefully at the National Audit Office Report. I looked through it in preparation for coming before you today, and with the exception, ironically, of implementing the McCloud judgment, the National Audit Office said, “since August 2017, MyCSP has met expected performance measures…”

“I take that. I will come to Cat in a moment, but on that, from the Cabinet Office we certainly reflected across to DWP our experiences and lessons learned, and that was reflected in the approach it took.”

“Two points. On the very narrow issue of the surge team, which I appreciate is not the point that you are referring to—you are talking more broadly—we will want every penny back. To your broader point—the Committee will understand why I am treading quite carefully here—be assured that every single commercial option avai…”

“You are reflecting very well on your experience in local government, Peter. There is a lot of expertise around the table. Be assured that in recent months, my steers to officials have been precisely around looking at every lever that we have to drive performance and, where things are going wrong, ensuring that appropri…”

“First of all, we have started making changes with the public interest test last month. As I indicated in an answer a moment or two ago, from April 2027, when a contract worth over £1 million ends, we will consider the appropriate home for it. We will certainly be looking at the procurement regime. That work is already …”

“Certainly. Could you, perhaps through the Chair, just send me that directly, please? I will most certainly look at that.”

“I should, just as a matter of disclosure, refer to my own entry in the Members’ Register of Financial Interests about support from Unite the union.”

“That is completely unacceptable, to be clear. The figure is predicated on a particular timeline. Let there be no doubt: I am determined to get back the entirety of the cost from Capita, whatever the timeline ends up being. I do not regard as a serious proposition Capita’s suggestion that we go back only to a certain mo…”

“This was on 25 November last year. It was before the go-live date of 1 December. I was told that the UK Government would be presiding over the largest AI-enabled pension in the UK and I would therefore have “a flagship use case”. That was the assurance I was being given by Capita ahead of this. As the Committee can ima…”

“I am Nick Thomas-Symonds. I am the Paymaster General.”

“The straight answer to that question, Sir Geoffrey, is no, but if I may, I will give a brief opening statement and then move to questions. The simple truth of this, which I made clear to the House in my statement on Monday, is that the position we find ourselves in is not good enough. It is completely unacceptable. I a…”

“To come in on that, my very clear instruction to the whole team has been to absolutely hold Capita to account with every commercial lever that is available under this contract. That is exactly what the team has been doing. Catherine, you are absolutely right to raise the issue and where there are breaches like this, ou…”

“On that, I deployed the team on 13 January. The work that Angela and her team did in terms of the surge resource of more than 140 officials and the pensions recovery taskforce was done within a matter of days. We did that really quickly. Your larger point, which is a very fair one, is that at the moment Capita is talki…”

“Certainly every single situation is a priority. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that IBCA is operationally independent. It has come up with a priority set of cohorts, which is publicly available, but the estates of the deceased are absolutely a priority. He can certainly have that assurance. The regulations are a resu…”

“It is per round of interferon treatment. I am pleased to provide that clarification to my hon. Friend, and I repeat my thanks to her for her work.”

“I am grateful to Carol for her service. She can be assured that I will robustly continue to hold Capita to account. I do not know whether, in her particular circumstances, a hardship loan would have been appropriate, but if my hon. Friend writes to me with the details of Carol’s case, I will be more than happy to look …”

“Absolutely. Public servants, who are represented in the Chamber by Members across the House, deserve so much better. My hon. Friend can be assured that the independent audit will be looking at a range of options.”

“The point I am making around duty of candour, which I think overrides all these other points, is really what Sir Brian Langstaff was referring to. He called it institutional defensiveness, saying that the problem when awful things happened was that people put either personal or institutional reputations above the publi…”

“My hon. Friend puts his finger on the issue. That is why the Parliamentary Secretary escalated this problem to Mr Speaker, so serious was it. My hon. Friend can be assured that we will continue to hold Capita robustly to account on that.”