Public Accounts Committee criticises award of contract to A4e
The Public Accounts Committee’s chair, Margaret Hodge, asked civil servants why welfare-to-work companies with poor track records of fulfilling previous contracts had been given new work.
“It seemed rather surprising to me that you did not have to regard to the past performance of contractors. Why not?” she asked. “A4e … their performance on [Pathways to Work] was abysmal … Why didn’t you look at past performance of contractors?”
Fellow committee member Richard Bacon, Conservative MP for south Norfolk, added:
“Are you seriously saying that you could not take into account that A4e had dreadful performance in one of the immediate predecessor programmes?”He said that the company got 9% of clients into work in the Pathways to Work programme – it had been expected to deliver 30%.
There was also concern raised about dividends of £11m being paid out.
Welfare reform will deepen poverty in Northern Ireland
Posted in THE GRAPEVINE! news, comment & a bit of gossip, Welfare to Work, tagged norther Ireland, SDLP, welfare reform on February 9, 2012|
Welfare reform will deepen poverty in Northern Ireland
The BBC is reproting that the SDLP have told the government that they must show “flexibility and discretion” when it comes to changing the benefits system in Northern Ireland.
The comments came after the party met with Welfare Reform Minister Lord Freud and Secretary of State Owen Paterson.
The SDLP’s three MPs and Stormont Minister Alex Attwood attended the discussions in London.
South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said government proposals would “simply deepen poverty ” in Northern Ireland.
The BBC...
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