Yesterday John McDonnell MP asked a very pertinent question of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - and got an answer! McDonnell asked "what the value was of contracts given by his Department to A4e in each year from 2007 to 2011." Chris Grayling told him that details of the contracts awarded to A4e during 2007 and 2008 were not held centrally (why not?) and it would cost too much to get the information. But he listed the value from 2009. (You can see it on TheyWorkforYou) Flexible New Deal contracts added up to £157,500,000. MWA comes to £2,656,013. Jobcentre Plus Support contracts (6 of them) add up to £66,470,115. All of which adds up to £226,626,128. And that's without the Work Programme contracts, which "depend on company performance". It's also just contracts from the DWP.
Did we get our money's worth?
Did we get our money's worth? NO
ReplyDeleteIts strange Chris Graylings comment "told him that details of the contracts awarded to A4e during 2007 and 2008 were not held centrally and it would cost too much to get the information.".. I thought there was governmental oversight on these contracts. These records should show how much was spent and how many people got into work or should. These new contracts were sold on the basis of past successes, Now if these didnt happen, or showed there was not value for money, then how could paying MORE money solve that.
ReplyDeleteIf the documents are not available, What happened to the transparency of the work programme system.
I wonder what a WP provider would say if they wanted your CV and you said:
ReplyDeleteA) It is not stored centrally, i.e. on your home PC
B) It would be too costly to get the info
They'd no doubt wish to sanction you for being uncooperative.
Grayling is being his usual evasive self. He knows full well A4e is an embarrassment and awarding them numerous contracts raises serious questions he cannot or more likely is ashamed to answer.