15248 (2025). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Associate Minister of Education

15248 (2025). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Associate Minister of Education: Did officials undertake a Centrix business credit check on Compass Group NZ and Gilmours as a part of the Ka Ora Ka Ako contract process; and if so, how many credit defaults, insolvencies, judgements or enquiries, if any, were identified for each?

Hon David Seymour: Compass Group NZ sub-contracted Libelle and Gilmours (FoodStuffs) as a member of the School Lunch Collective and was responsible for the management of their sub-contracted parties. I am advised by the Ministry of Education that Centrix business credit checks were undertaken during the procurement of the alternate provision model, on all short-listed suppliers, included Compass, Gilmours and Libelle. This preliminary financial due diligence did not raise any red flags, enquiries, credit defaults, insolvencies or judgements.