As the UK economy looks like it is beginning to achieve “exit trajectory” (what a wonderful expression!) from its recessionary status it is easy to have in one’s mind’s eye a single space rocket with “UK” emblazoned on the side of breaking free from the gravitational pull of negative growth (another fabulous expression) and readying itself to tear off towards the Sun.
A more realistic (and sobering) perspective would rather to picture a fleet of rockets named for the different regions of the UK. Whilst the overall flight path of that fleet is indeed starting the journey back to the sun the picture is not necessarily so rosy from the flight deck of all of the spaceships (see: we are managing to keep the analogy together so far!).
An examination of data published by the ONS and reported in the Guardian reveals that by far the greater proportion of Government IT contracts are awarded to suppliers based in London and the South East. On top of that, SME’s in general are continuing to find it extremely difficult to win places on Government Framework Agreements or to win IT contracts outright.
Another example of Government procurement in practice appearing to frustrate the efforts of those parts of the economy most in need of the kind of support which only the State can facilitate?
