Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall faced calls last night to explain why her department’s Government ‘credit cards’ were funding a high-street spree.
The spending at stores including John Lewis, Moss Bros, Halfords and Argos appeared on the first post-election disclosures of how staff at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) used the Government procurement cards to buy items costing more than £500.
In the months before the General Election in July, the cards – known as ‘electronic purchasing card solutions’ (ePCS) – appeared to be used mostly for routine departmental items, such as court-related costs.
But since Labour took power, the cards – also used by the Child Maintenance Group – have also made retail purchases including a £1,249 online payment at John Lewis, five transactions worth a total of £3,298 at Argos, £555 at the menswear chain Moss Bros and £2,618 at Halfords.
On August 23, £1,099 was paid to Laurastar SA, which manufactures high-end steam irons and ironing boards. Earlier that month, a procurement card was used for a £1,259 purchase with garden machinery supplier Cheltenham Mowers.
There were also two transactions worth £1,447 with another farm and gardening supplier.
The department was unable yesterday to detail what each transaction was for. However one payment of £1,347 on July 30 to the building supplies company Toolstation was listed as ‘goods and services that help move customers closer to the labour market or take up/sustain employment’.
And DWP sources defended the spending disclosures last night, insisting the payments were mostly normal ‘flexible support fund’ expenditure authorised by work coaches at local job centres to help people find employment.
They claimed such payments had been ‘declared internally’ in the past, but were now being registered on procurement card disclosures instead.
One insider said: ‘This has been going on for years and years and years. It’s just that we decided on reporting from July onwards.’
However, the Tories have demanded a full explanation of the spending, particularly as – while in opposition – Labour criticised the Conservative Government’s spending on the official cards.
The Tories also noted how Chancellor Rachel Reeves set up an Office for Value for Money this month to ensure the careful use of public funds was at the heart of government spending decisions.
Helen Whately, Tory work and pensions spokesman, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Liz Kendall owes it to taxpayers to come clean and explain what these purchases are actually for. Once she explains this, we can judge whether Labour really meant it when they set up an Office for Value for Money.’
The DWP was approached for comment last night.
