Wednesday Volume 579 30 April 2014 No. 155 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 30 April 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 807 30 APRIL 2014 808 Lisa Nandy (Wigan) (Lab): Will the Minister explain House of Commons why the newly announced £40 million fund to help struggling charities will only come into force in 2015? Wednesday 30 April 2014 Many charities are saying that they will not survive another six months because of this Government’s policies. Is this not a case of too little, too late? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Mr Hurd: No, I do not accept that. The hon. Lady ignores the fact that the Government have already PRAYERS provided almost £200 million in transition funding for front-line charities and infrastructure organisations to [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] help them through difficult times. We have managed to secure some additional money in the 2015-16 Budget to support more transition work, particularly for middle- sized charities, which we think is needed. She is ignoring Oral Answers to Questions all the help we have given so far. Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con): Our country once enjoyed a rich and vibrant tapestry of organisations CABINET OFFICE between charity and the state, such as co-operatives, friendly societies and other mutuals. Does the Minister The Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked— share my dismay that the left has abandoned its own traditions? Big Society Mr Hurd: Those are not of course the only traditions 1. Graham Jones (Hyndburn) (Lab): What progress that the left has abandoned over the years; it is very the Government have made on implementing its big hard to see what is left. I am very proud that Government society policy. [903748] Members are leading the work to encourage more mutualisation, particularly in relation to encouraging The Minister for Civil Society (Mr Nick Hurd): We people to spin out the services they currently offer have given communities more power through the Localism inside the public sector, and to offer them and improve Act 2011. We have invested in volunteering, which has them as public sector mutuals. risen after years of decline. We have invested to support charitable giving, which has held up in difficult times. Civil Service (Outsourcing) Some 70,000 young people have taken part in the National Citizen Service. I am very proud that this country leads 2. Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab): What his policy the world in supporting social enterprise and investment. is on the outsourcing of civil service jobs. [903749] Graham Jones: That is not a situation I recognise in The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster Hyndburn, I have to say. Archbishop Vincent Nichols General (Mr Francis Maude): In common with the recently said: previous Government, which the hon. Gentleman supported “The Big Society hasn’t helped… Charity isn’t an alternative to from time to time, the current Government do not have public service… there are now families with nothing”. a dogmatic view on outsourcing, either in favour of it or Will the Minister finally admit that the big society against it. project is in fact a big failure? Paul Flynn: For the past 10 years, shared services has Mr Hurd: No, I will not. I think the cynics have got it been one of the major job successes in providing more entirely wrong. Some of the changes we have introduced than 1,000 decent jobs in my constituency, at great are irreversible, not least in terms of giving communities value to the taxpayer. Why is the Minister trying to more power and information, which they are not going wreck a winning team? to give back. We recognise that charities are going through a very difficult time, like lots of organisations, Mr Maude: We are actually seeking to build on what but this Government are actively supporting them to is good. It is now 10 years since Sir Peter Gershon, help them to adapt and improve their resilience, while under the previous Government, proposed a fast move Labour MPs continue to scaremonger. towards genuinely shared services. That did not happen for eight years. Since 2012, we have made significant Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con): What plans progress in genuinely creating a handful of shared service does the Minister have for the National Citizen Service centres for Government. They are building on the shared this summer? service centre in Swansea and others. If we create genuinely successful, highly efficient organisations there, they have Mr Hurd: I thank my hon. Friend for her long-standing every opportunity of winning other business and therefore support for the National Citizen Service and all initiatives of creating new jobs and new prosperity in those areas. to encourage young people to get involved in volunteering. We are enormously ambitious for the National Citizen Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con): My right Service this year. As I have said, to date over 70,000 young hon. Friend will be aware of the revelations in the people have taken part, and we expect the same number Liverpool Echo last week that Government computers to take part this year alone. were used to access and change Wikipedia pages relating 809 Oral Answers30 APRIL 2014 Oral Answers 810 to Hillsborough. What action is he taking to investigate Mr Speaker: No, there is nothing further to add. We those accusations and to prevent misuse of Government are extremely grateful. computers, whether they are outsourced or not? Michael Dugher (Barnsley East) (Lab): Earlier this Mr Maude: Everyone in the House will have been year, the Prime Minister boasted in a speech in Davos horrified and sickened by those edits on Wikipedia. I that under his Government have been in close, daily contact with the right hon. “there is a chance for Britain to become the ‘Re-Shore Nation’.” Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham), who has a highly deserved reputation as a campaigner for the Hillsborough However, the chief executive of Steria has said that families, and the hon. Member for Wirral South (Alison offshoring jobs is “on the agenda” for outsourced civil McGovern), the chairman of the all-party parliamentary servants working for Shared Services Connected Ltd, in group on the Hillsborough disaster. We are undertaking which the Government retain a 25% stake. Does the a rapid investigation, which is being led by my excellent Minister share my concern that up to 1,000 jobs might permanent secretary, Richard Heaton. The first stage is be offshored? Will the Government use their stake in to establish the facts as best we can and we will then the joint venture to argue that those jobs should be kept deal with the matter. If this horrible issue is prolonged in the UK? and there is no closure, it will be very unsatisfactory and distressing for the families, particularly at this time, Mr Maude: We will take the same approach as the when the events are fresh in their minds. Government he supported—I think he was an adviser to the last Government—when they set up NHS Shared 12. [903761] Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central) (Lab): Business Services, which is also a joint venture with Some 239 civil service jobs that have been outsourced Steria. A number of jobs were offshored, but Britain to Shared Services Connected Ltd are being lost in has benefited because that entity has also created more my constituency. The people who may lose their jobs jobs in the UK. We take the same approach as his were presented with a new staff structure just a Government took. week ago, were given only until today to decide on I will cheerfully take up your sensible suggestion, voluntary redundancy and are not being given proper Mr Speaker, of writing to my hon. Friend the Member opportunities for redeployment. Will the Minister press for Kettering (Mr Hollobone). SSCL, which is part-owned by the Government, to extend the voluntary redundancy deadline, and will he Social Finance ensure that all Departments offer opportunities for redeployment? 3. Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North) (Lab): Mr Maude: I shall certainly look at the last point that What progress his Department has made on developing the hon. Gentleman made. Nobody takes any pleasure social finance. [903750] in job losses. We have had to lose jobs in the public sector. The civil service is 17% smaller than in 2010 The Minister for Civil Society (Mr Nick Hurd): Iam because, sadly, we inherited the biggest budget deficit in proud that Britain leads the world in developing social the developed world. We have to make economies and investment. The hon. Gentleman is a tireless champion do things better. I hope that the new venture, SSCL, will of its power to support early intervention. A new tax emerge as a vibrant business in the private sector that relief has gone live this month. There are now 15 social can win more business and thereby create more jobs. impact bonds in operation. I hope that he will welcome However, it does need to restructure to begin with. our announcement today of two more funds to support social impact bonds, which we believe will generate Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): What proportion better outcomes for young people who are at risk of not of civil service jobs was outsourced at the start of this being in education, employment or training. Parliament in 2010 and what proportion will be outsourced at the end of it in 2015? Mr Allen: There is an important judgment from the European Court of Justice today on the Robin Hood Mr Maude: That is a very good question.