Holyrood Committee to examine procurement laws

A Scottish Parliament Committee is looking to find out how reforms to procurement laws have worked, nearly ten years on from their introduction.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 introduced new duties on public bodies to consider how their procurement could be used to improve the wellbeing of their local areas. That includes looking at the impact on the economic, social and environmental health of the area.

The Act also sought to open procurement up to small businesses, the third sector and supported businesses. 

Now, the Economy and Fair Work Committee is calling for those involved in all aspects of procurement to get involved and have their say on how well these goals are being achieved. 

Convener Claire Baker MSP said: “Public procurement is a huge driver of Scotland’s economy. Government figures suggest that procurement spending supports around £12.5 billion of economic activity in Scotland and around 120,000 jobs. 

“But we must make sure that that economic impact is being used to benefit our people, communities, and Scotland as a whole. 

“That’s why the Committee is taking this opportunity to scrutinise the legislation passed in 2014 to see if it is meeting its aims. We want to know if sustainability is truly at the heart of procurement, and how public procurement can help support and develop local supply chains. 

“This legislation has to strike a balance of providing maximum benefit to Scotland, while also widening access to bidding to include more of Scotland’s diverse business community. That includes small and medium enterprises, the third sector, and supported businesses.” 

The call for views is open until 2 October.