Overview

This bill mandates that Ministers must make an oral statement to Parliament if a government contract, awarded under emergency powers, benefits someone in whom the Minister holds a personal, political, or financial interest.

Description

The Ministerial Interests (Emergency Powers) Bill requires Ministers to declare any conflicts of interest related to emergency contracts awarded under regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. This regulation allows for contracts to be awarded without prior publication due to unforeseen urgent circumstances. If a Minister, or a company they have an interest in, benefits from such a contract, a statement must be made to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable. This applies to UK Government Departments and their non-departmental public bodies. The bill defines “personal, political, or financial interest” broadly, including declared interests under the Ministerial Code and Registers of Interests, as well as interests that might reasonably be considered to give rise to a conflict of interest. The bill explicitly does not prevent Ministers from making pre-award statements if they anticipate a conflict.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The main cost will likely relate to the administrative burden on Ministers and their departments in terms of time spent preparing and delivering statements to Parliament.

Groups Affected

• Ministers: They are directly affected, needing to declare interests and make statements to Parliament. Failure to do so could have serious consequences.
• Parliament: Parliament will receive increased transparency concerning the awarding of emergency contracts.
• Contractors: Those awarded emergency contracts where a Minister has an interest may face greater scrutiny.
• The Public: Will have increased transparency into potential conflicts of interest in government contracting.

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