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<p>Further to my <a href="https://bit.ly/30s4dmg" target="_blank">answer on 01 October
2020</a>, competitive tenders are used across government, including by the Cabinet
Office. It is also the case that there are certain circumstances where regulations
permit that contracts can be awarded without a competition, including where there
is extreme urgency.</p><p>As has been the case under successive administrations, this
Government works with a number of suppliers to provide polling and focus group work.
Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction
to government messaging, including focus groups for COVID-19 research. Details of
this contract have been published on GOV.UK in the usual way.</p><p>No ministerial
sign off was sought for the award of a contract to Public First. Details of Ministerial
meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.</p><p>A claim for Judicial Review was
issued by the High Court on 10 July 2020 in relation to the award of this contract.
It would not, therefore, be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject
to ongoing legal proceedings.</p>
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