Public Sector Contractor Insolvency Impact
Impact of major public sector contractor insolvency (e.g., in prison construction or maintenance) on project delivery.
271 items
7 sources
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
100match
#12 - Contractor ISG's collapse impacts 3,500 prison places and ongoing maintenance projects
HMPPS explained that the collapse of ISG, one of its main contractors which entered administration in September 2024, had been challenging, but that expected delays were already factored into its revised timelines.37 However, it noted that this was based on its assumptions about potential delays. It told us that ISG was contracted to deliver around 3,500 places of...
Matched on
terms: contractor, impact, public
Committee recommendation
90match
#5 - Ofwat to review powers to improve water sector financial resilience and clarify insolvency costs
Financial fragility of a few large companies in the sector is leading investors to lose confidence in regulation as well as the sector. We need to return to a water sector that is low risk and low return. Currently, company group structures are complex, and some companies in groups are not regulated by Ofwat at all, and excessive...
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public, sector
Committee recommendation
86match
#27 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
Given concerns from Universities UK that a special regime could lead the ONS to reclassify higher education providers as public sector bodies, as has happened with FE colleges, the Government should ask the ONS to lay out clear criteria for when such a reclassification would take place which can be kept in mind when designing the special regime....
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public, sector
Committee recommendation
86match
#21 - Committee concerned about contract renegotiation impact on HS2's small and medium enterprises.
We expressed our concern to HS2 Ltd for the potential for the large main contractors to pass any financial consequences of contract renegotiations down the supply chain to the small and medium–sized enterprises, of which HS2 Ltd told us there were around 2,400, who may find it more difficult to absorb such changes. HS2 Ltd acknowledged this issue,...
Matched on
terms: contractor, impact, public
Committee recommendation
78match
#20 - Commit to identifying early public sector customers for Scotland's launch and spaceport sector
The UK Space Agency should therefore commit to working with both the UK and Scottish Governments to identify early public sector customers for Scotland’s launch and spaceport sector. Government becoming a customer of the Scottish launch sector would send a clear demand signal that the sector is viable and encourage the development of a more diverse customer base...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
77match
#25 - Treasury implements living wills, playbooks, and guidance to manage supplier failure risks.
We asked the Treasury how it supports government departments to prepare for and manage potential supplier failure, and what contingency plans it had in place to address supplier failures, particularly for critical services, to avoid over-reliance on Government support. The Treasury 51 C&AG’s Report, para 3.7 52 Q 62; C&AG’s Report, para 3.9 53 Qq 37-38 and 41,...
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public, sector
Committee recommendation
74match
#32 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The Government should develop a strategic plan to avoid cold-spots and protect the local economy and public services in the event of an HE institution becoming insolvent, in order to protect the wider community. (Recommendation, Paragraph 160) Alternatives to insolvency
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public
Committee recommendation
74match
#28 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The current Student Protection Plans are inadequate. They would not provide sufficient protection were a large provider to become insolvent, something acknowledged by the Office for Students. Moreover, the plans do not cover the interests of staff, the impact on research or harm insolvency would do to the local economy and community. We therefore welcome the Office for...
Matched on
terms: impact, insolvency
Committee recommendation
74match
#26 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
A special regime, building on and learning lessons from the Further Education regime, could ensure an orderly exit. This would include ensuring teach-out processes for current students, protecting the sufficiency of sector-critical courses and allowing for mitigations to avoid geographical cold-spots. (Recommendation, Paragraph 146)
Matched on
terms: insolvency, sector
Committee recommendation
74match
#15 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The Government should outline how it and the Office for Students are working with HE institutions and franchisees to monitor this situation and manage the potential impact of a franchisee becoming insolvent. It should also outline what increased measures are being taken to monitor the risks of transnational education on HE institutions. (Recommendation, Paragraph 95) 111
Matched on
terms: impact, insolvency
Committee recommendation
73match
#21 - Financial resilience of the water sector has weakened significantly across many companies
The financial resilience of the water sector has weakened. While Water UK pointed out to us that some companies are resilient, Ofwat has signalled its concerns about the financial resilience of 10 of the 16 major companies.60 In 2023–24, 10 companies could not cover their interest payments with cash from operations.61 Defra told us that Ofwat has powers...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
65match
#24 - Costs of special administration for insolvent water companies may fall to billpayers
We sought to understand would happen if a water company became insolvent. Defra told us that that the special administration regime will ensure that services are protected.78 Defra also acknowledged that there would be costs involved in setting up such a regime, which the government would seek to recover.79 If government costs cannot be recovered elsewhere, the government...
Matched on
terms: impact, public
Committee recommendation
62match
#31 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
Protection for staff should include a clear and orderly process of insolvency. There should be consideration of how to ensure continuity of research and protecting pension schemes against the financial shock. (Recommendation, Paragraph 159)
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
62match
#30 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
Protection for students should ensure a teach-out process and options for transfer to other suitable higher education providers, and ensuring international students can continue their studies until completion. Each institution should be required to undertake an assessment and develop a plan for the teach out and transfer of their undergraduate, post-graduate and research students in the event of...
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
62match
#29 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The Office for Students should apply its strengthened student protection regulation to all higher education providers, not just new providers. The plans proposed above should be the basis for protecting students, staff, and the wider local economy and community. (Recommendation, Paragraph 157) 114
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
62match
#24 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
Government should legislate to clarify the situation so that higher education providers that become insolvent can continue to operate and avoid a disorderly exit. Its response should also clarify the criteria for the threshold for Government intervention for each of the range of different types of entity that comprise higher education institutions. (Recommendation, Paragraph 134)
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
62match
#22 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The protocol should include assessment of viability, quality of provision, size and scale and importance to the local community and economy, accompanied by a review of governance and greater financial reporting requirements. Costed plans would be required for protecting students, staff and the wider community in the event of insolvency. A decision could then be made on which...
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
62match
#21 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
An early warning protocol needs to be established with urgency. This follows calls for improved early warning from the Russell Group, the Institute of Physics and Aston University. A protocol would also address when the Government should intervene and ensure there is a clear process to manage the risk of institutional insolvency. Such a protocol would be triggered...
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
62match
#20 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
We have heard an early warning system is needed to give better information about the risk of a higher education provider becoming insolvent. Currently there is no clearly understood protocol for how the Government might respond to a situation of a provider at risk of imminent insolvency, which is a very serious problem. (Conclusion, Paragraph 119)
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
61match
#12 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
We welcome the Government’s moves to introduce mandatory regulation of franchise providers with 300 or more students and the availability of better data. There remains a major risk for some HE institutions that have become heavily dependent on franchisees that their withdrawal from providing courses could have a shock effect on the institution’s finances. (Conclusion, Paragraph 92)
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
60match
#25 - Thirty-Eighth Report - Managing colleges’ financial sustainability
In January 2019, the Department introduced an insolvency regime for colleges, which applies aspects of corporate insolvency law and involves a special administration regime known as ‘education administration’. The overriding priority while a college is in education administration is to protect the students. Two colleges in Kent entered education administration in 2019—Hadlow College, and West Kent and Ashford...
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public
Committee recommendation
60match
#16 - Thirty-Fifth Report - The pharmacy early payment and salary advance schemes in the NHS
The Government is currently considering the recommendations from Nigel Boardman’s recent review of standards in public life and we expect that the outcome of those considerations would be far reaching and wide enough to address all of these issues relating to conflicts of interest of senior government officials and advisers.17 Contractor failure
Matched on
terms: contractor, public
Committee recommendation
60match
#13 - Thirty-Fifth Report - The pharmacy early payment and salary advance schemes in the NHS
CCS stated that in terms of procurement regulations, there was no reason to preclude Taulia based on Greensill Capital being a subcontractor named in their bid. CCS also told us that based on submissions received from the various bidding companies, its assessment was that there was no conflict in relation to the procurement itself and, therefore, it carried...
Matched on
terms: contractor, public
Committee recommendation
60match
#11 - Thirty-Fifth Report - The pharmacy early payment and salary advance schemes in the NHS
Three companies bid to be the framework supplier. One was discarded on failure to meet minimum quality grounds, leaving Citibank and Taulia. CCS’s commercial finance accountant’s evaluation of Taulia’s Dun & Bradstreet score and a review of its accounts required it to nominate a financial guarantor. Taulia nominated Greensill Capital, which was identified as Taulia’s key subcontractor in...
Matched on
terms: contractor, public
Committee recommendation
57match
#13 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The Office for Students should therefore provide guidance to universities seeking to exit or significantly scale back franchising relationships. (Recommendation, Paragraph 93)
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
57match
#19 - UK Government becoming anchor customer is vital for Scotland's launch sector viability
The UK Government must realise the value of becoming a long-term, sustainable customer of ‘home grown’ space capabilities. Once Scotland has a proven sovereign launch capability, the provision of Government support as an ‘anchor customer’ of domestic services, rather than as a provider of one-off financial grants, will be key to ensuring the long-term financial viability of launch...
Matched on
terms: sector
Committee recommendation
56match
#26 - Thirty-Eighth Report - Managing colleges’ financial sustainability
The ESFA confirmed that the administration processes for the two colleges were largely complete, although some statutory duties and administrative tasks remained to be done.46 It estimated that it would have spent more than £60 million on the two cases by the time they were completed. It said that a large proportion of this related to the costs...
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public
Committee recommendation
56match
#21 - Thirty-Eighth Report - Managing colleges’ financial sustainability
The intervention regime for colleges incorporates a number of phases, from prevention work, through early intervention and formal intervention to, in the most serious cases, 31 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.7–1.8 and Figure 1 32 Q 43; C&AG’s Report, para 2.10 33 Qq 43–45; C&AG’s Report, para 2.10 34 Q 64 35 C&AG’s Report, para 4 36 Qq 107,...
Matched on
terms: insolvency, public
Committee recommendation
56match
#12 - Forty-Second Report - COVID-19: Government procurement and supply of Personal Protective Equipment
Government’s PPE strategy aims to build a UK manufacturing base so that there is a resilient domestic supply. The Department explained that 70% of PPE (excluding gloves) that it expected would be supplied between December 2020 and February 2021 should come through contracts set up under the Department’s UK Make programme. It cited contracts for this programme as...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
IMB recommendation
56match
Birmingham (2025)
Why was the collapse of ISG not anticipated within the Ministry? With significant work already undertaken on the refurbishment of A, B and C wings, why was more effort not made within the Ministry to instate a new contractor and get the work completed faster? From September 2024 to June 2025, no work was undertaken while still using...
Matched on
terms: contractor, public
Committee recommendation
53match
#21 - Three Premiership Rugby clubs receiving loans became insolvent, others remain financially fragile
We noted, however, that, by June 2023, three of these clubs had become insolvent before they had made any repayment of the loans of £41.9 million they had received (London Irish £11.8 million; Wasps £14.1 million; and Worcester Warriors £15.7 million).52 Written evidence we received from professional services group, Leonard Curtis, highlighted that, in 2022–23, seven of the...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
53match
#16 - Nine borrowers became insolvent, defaulting on £46.1 million in loans, exceeding expectations
By October 2024, 45% of solvent borrowers had made at least one repayment on their loans, with the remaining 55% yet to make a repayment. The 45% had paid the Department £40.9 million in total, less than the £42.1 million it had scheduled to receive by then (97%).39 However, nine borrowers, two on the culture side and seven...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
53match
#18 - TrustMark's registration process fails to adequately assess installer businesses' financial stability and liquidity.
The original installer is liable for fixing the installation to meet the relevant standards. However, the National Audit Office reported that not all installers are complying with the remediation process.38 We asked TrustMark whether the process for installer businesses to become TrustMark-registered (and therefore be able to do work under government retrofit schemes) includes an assessment of the...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
53match
#21 - NS&I's continued reliance on distressed supplier Atos necessitates improved contract management practices
NS&I will continue to rely on Atos, which suffered financial distress in 2024, until at least 2028. NS&I told us it now has a contract management framework to manage Atos and the contracts with new suppliers. NS&I will need to be much better at managing supplier contracts to maximise the benefits of transformation.61 NS&I told us it now...
Matched on
terms: public
IMB recommendation
51match
Cookham Wood (2022)
Performance of Gov Facility Services Limited (GFSL): The delays in the timely delivery of capital projects and poor state of general repairs and maintenance are a disgrace. Projects have regularly over-run, been poorly monitored, and shoddily delivered. The service is effectively inefficient and costly. Boys in Cookham Wood are missing out on the facilities they deserve, and staff...
Matched on
terms: impact
Committee recommendation
49match
#10 - Amend Procurement Act 2023 to mandate Project Bank Accounts for large construction projects.
The Government should bring forward amendments to the Procurement Act 2023 that require the use of Project Bank Accounts for all construction projects that cost £2 million and above. In the meantime, it should reissue its construction playbook to reflect this requirement. The playbook should also introduce a liability cap, specifying this requirement as a contract condition for...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
48match
#12 - Thirty-Fifth Report - The pharmacy early payment and salary advance schemes in the NHS
We asked why there was no discussion about a potential conflict of interest arising from Lex Greensill providing advice on supply chain finance services and his company, Greensill Capital, then being appointed to supply these services. We asked whether CCS’s assessments on fitness could have been expanded when the bids for the contract were put to tender and...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
48match
#10 - Third Report - Energy pricing and the future of the Energy Market
We further call on the Government to review whether regulators such as Ofgem should be given new powers to bring enforcement action for unfit conduct by energy company directors given the very limited scope for The Insolvency Service to do so. We consider this to be particularly important for energy supply companies given the handling of customer monies...
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
48match
#4 - Sixth Report - Current issues in rugby union
We await the publication of the RFU annual report. We recommend that when the annual report is published, the RFU writes to us with a detailed commentary of its financial position and what steps it will be taking to prevent further clubs collapsing, with consequent damage done to players, staff and local communities. (Paragraph 14) 8 Current issues...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
48match
#23 - Department engaging with British Basketball Federation regarding franchising, funding, and loan repayment risks.
We asked the Department what it was doing with regard to professional basketball and the proposals by the British Basketball Federation to franchise out the running of the professional league which some have claimed is putting at risk the Department’s loans to some of the clubs. The Department replied that it was not for the government to intervene...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
48match
#23 - Water companies face challenges raising new equity despite increased investor returns
First Economics told us that financial resilience depends on having confidence that financial markets will supply water companies with new debt and equity.73 Ofwat estimates companies will need around £12 billion in new equity over the next five years to support their spending plans.74 Ofwat told us that companies had raised £5 billion in equity over the last...
Matched on
terms: public
IMB recommendation
48match
Highpoint (2023)
The service provided by Gov Facility Services Ltd (GFSL) is still a major cause for concern. The Board, once again, requests an urgent review of the works maintenance contract to ensure it fully meets the ongoing needs of a challenging prison environment.
Matched on
classifier match
IMB recommendation
48match
Styal (2020)
Contracts with outside maintenance providers continue to result in manifestly excessive quotations and long delays in repairs and refurbishment, including health and safety-related matters. Some areas of the estate are unusable because of the debris and waste left by Amey and contractors.
Matched on
terms: contractor
PFD report
45match
Marc Davies
Inadequate welfare checks by security guards, stemming from a lack of training on proper procedures and documentation, risked residents not receiving timely medical care.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
44match
#24 - Thirty-Eighth Report - Managing colleges’ financial sustainability
The ESFA told us that some amounts that were originally given as loans then had to be converted to grants because not enough work had been done at the outset to assess whether there was a realistic expectation of repayment. It explained, however, that if a college did not have the capacity to repay debts, emergency funding had...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
44match
#1 - Forty-Second Report - COVID-19: Government procurement and supply of Personal Protective Equipment
On the basis of two reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Cabinet Office, Department of Health & Social Care (the Department) and Public Health England about government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic and the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).1 As part of our inquiry, we also took evidence from Care England,...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
44match
#38 - First Report - Universities and Scotland
In mid-2020 insolvency was a very real prospect facing a number of universities in Scotland. Both the UK and Scottish Governments should be congratulated on their efforts and significant financial investments into Scottish universities in response to the pandemic. It is quite possible that without that support, some institutions may not have survived. We also welcome the commitment...
Matched on
terms: insolvency
Committee recommendation
44match
#22 - Eleventh Report - Local auditor reporting on local government in England
All parties agreed that the market was not currently competitive, and that one measure needed for the market to become effective was to have more audit firms in the market.56 Only eight audit firms are accredited to audit local authorities.57 Of these eight, EY and Grant Thornton together carry out around 70% of local authority audits.58 Grant Thornton...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
44match
#2 - Eleventh Report - Local auditor reporting on local government in England
There is a pressing risk of market collapse due to an over reliance on a small number of audit firms and significant barriers to entry. Only eight audit firms have the specialist knowledge and accreditation needed to audit local authorities. Currently, the market is dominated by just two firms, which carry out around 70% of local authority audits....
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
44match
#10 - Fifth Report - UK aviation: reform for take-off
The Government must introduce an Airline Insolvency Bill in the next Session of Parliament to set out a framework to handle future airline insolvencies to protect the interests of consumers, employees and taxpayers.
Matched on
terms: insolvency