The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 places a requirement on commissioners, including local authorities, to consider the social, economic and environmental benefits of their approaches to services contracts before the procurement process starts. The existing scheme of UK procurement rules, which implement the EU public procurement directives, are preserved under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 when the UK leaves the European Union, with relevant adjustments necessary to ensure legal operability. This will give legal certainty and continuity to businesses, contracting authorities, and employees, on day one of Exit. We will use opportunities offered by our exit from the EU to carefully consider longer-term options for the UK's public procurement rules.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:22:01.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Procurement"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his oral contribution of 5 November 2018, Official Report column 1229, what guidance he has issued to local authorities on taking local value into account when awarding contracts.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/318", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Spellar"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Spellar"} ], "uin" : "188710"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999759", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999759/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Civil Society Strategy was developed through engagement with public sector commissioners, procurement and civil society representatives. Evidence provided to the Strategy suggested that the requirements of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 are often treated as an afterthought. Our engagement included focused workshops with a number of local authorities and their stakeholders, to explore opportunities of and barriers to social value in the procurement process. In the strategy, we set out government's long term ambition to grow social value commissioning and strengthen the application of the Act.<\/p>
Officials will continue to engage with the Local Government Association and sector representative bodies to build on our evidence base and help inform policy making during the implementation of the commitments made in the Strategy.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4247", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ashton of Hyde"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-14T12:05:16.467Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Procurement"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the emphasis local authorities are giving to social value in their commissioning decisions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Kennedy of Southwark"}
], "uin" : "HL11204"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/917676", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/917676/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Local authorities in England are subject to the Transparency Code 2015. This requires that councils publish a range of data, including that on procurement and contracts. Here councils are required to publish data on invitations to tender for contracts over £5000 and contracts awarded over £5000 are published on a quarterly basis. This information should be made available in an open, machine readable format.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-06-11T16:12:42.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Procurement"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government is taking steps to ensure that all local authorities across the UK record third party spending with small businesses in a consistent manner to improve transparency and comparability; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "150108"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/901377", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/901377/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There is no requirement on local authorities to measure small business access to local authority procurement. As independent contracting authorities, local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions. While authorities are subject to the requirements of legislation and should have regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, I would strongly encourage councils to consider how the can use their procurement activity to support the local economy and small businesses.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-15T16:16:21.107Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Procurement"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what requirements there are for local authorities to measure small business access to local authority procurement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "142844"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/896526", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/896526/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 already sets out what procurement and spend information local authorities should publish and the format in which it should be published to ensure transparency and comparability across authorities.<\/p> I am aware some councils publish on open data hubs to enable comparability and I welcome this.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-09T16:49:59.497Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Procurement"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to improve the transparency and comparability of local authority records on procurement spending with small businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "140717"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806741", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806741/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a Screening for Cartels tool that will help public procurement professionals identify suspicious behaviour by suppliers when bidding for contracts:<\/p>