Ministers to give evidence on using public procurement to stimulate innovation
The House of Lords Science Technology Committee will tomorrow quiz David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science, Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Norman Baker MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport on the Government's efforts to use public procurement to stimulate innovation.
The session will pick up on the themes of the Committee's report on using public procurement to stimulate innovation published in May 2011. The report identified that the Government spent more than £236bn on procurement and was missing the chance to ensure that spend was working hard to stimulate innovation in industry.
The Committee will ask the Ministers how the value of innovation in procurement is promoted in departments and how the risk averse culture towards procurement amongst civil servants can be overcome. They will also question them on how Government engages with SMEs.
The evidence session will take place at 11am on Tuesday 16 October in Committee Room 4 of the House of Lords and will be webcast live at www.parliamentlive.tv.
The evidence session is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.