To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will delay implementation of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to ensure that appropriate guidance on trading companies exemptions, reserved contracts provisions, Article 18.2, best price-quality ratio provisions and the new light touch regime can be issued to contracting authorities in time for them to update procurement procedures.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 on the ability of contracting authorities to plan joint health and social care commissioning.

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 came into effect on 26 February. They will enable authorities to run procurements that are faster, less costly and more effective.

During 2014, the Crown Commercial Service provided training on the new directives to more than 4,000 procurement officials.

Further information, including guidance and training material can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/transposing-eu-procurement-directives