Capita won't stop until civil service failings are fixed, boss tells MPs

The Capita boss said the company “won't stop” until its failings are fixed after facing fierce criticism from MPs.

It came two days after the outsourcing giant apologized for the first time for a series of contractual breaches relating to its management of civil servants' pensions.

On Wednesday, MPs on Parliament's Public Accounts Committee questioned whether the company sees the Government as a “cash cow that needs to be milked to the point of collapsing from exhaustion”.

The outsourcing giant reiterated its apologies for delays in the administration of the pension plan of 1.7 million members, which has left thousands of civil servants waiting for payments and retirement contributions.

Adolfo Hernández, executive director of Cápita, said the group still sees the government as a partner and takes its work for the state “extremely seriously.”

Ministers have said they could return the operation of the Capita contract to Government management.

The Cabinet Office said there were more than 6,700 quotes from past retirement dates and 4,100 bereavement cases pending.

Hernandez said: “I would love the opportunity to apologize profusely, first and foremost.

“I would like to apologize to all members who have been receiving a very poor service at a very difficult and challenging time in their lives.

“They are citizens who have worked for the country for many years in a variety of very critical positions.

“For everything we are responsible for, you have my deepest apologies and I assure you that they will not stop until that is resolved.”

The civil service pension contract is one of at least 80 government contracts with Capita.

Earlier this week, Cabinet Office minister and Paymaster-General Nick Thomas-Symonds pledged to recover “every penny” from Capita.

It came after the Government parachuted in a team of 140 civil servants to help clear the backlog.

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