Welfare Reform Bill

I reiterate that we would not want to end up with a situation where we contract with a prime contractor without any knowledge, control or understanding of who he may subcontract with. The process by which the subcontracting can take place being part of the known and identified contract arrangements between the Secretary of State and the prime contractor must be the right way to go. I am not sure that it was the intended effect of the noble Lord’s amendment, but to draft it as he has would in a sense give the prime contractor, without control, the ability to subcontract. We would not want that.