Employment Schemes
Work and Pensions
Stephen Timms (East Ham, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he would intervene in a reported breach of contract between a Work Programme prime provider and one of its subcontractors without first receiving a complaint from the subcontractor.
Chris Grayling (Minister of State (Employment), Work and Pensions; Epsom and Ewell, Conservative)
The Department expects subcontractors and prime providers to work together to resolve any issues as this is a commercial matter for the parties involved. We are committed to supporting healthy business relationships between prime providers and their subcontractors. The Merlin standard allows for independent mediation should the prime provider's internal complaints procedure fail to reach settlement.