CABINET STATEMENT
Written Statement: Draft Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill
Hannah Blythyn MS, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government
On 15th July 2020 the First Minister announced the Welsh Government’s plans to strengthen social partnership arrangements in Wales by publishing draft social partnership legislation in this Senedd term.
The draft Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill has been published for consultation. The draft Bill seeks to strengthen and formalise social partnership arrangements in Wales through creating a Social Partnership Council with national cross-sector leadership and trade union representation chaired by the First Minister and by establishing a social partnership duty on our public bodies.
The draft Bill will place a duty on Welsh Ministers to set fair work objectives, with the aim of improving transparency and consistency in our approach to delivering good and safe employment. The draft Bill also contains provisions to establish duties on public bodies to ensure that public procurement is undertaken in a socially responsible manner, using the power of the public purse to the broad benefit of people and communities in Wales.
The overarching goal through these measures is to enhance the well-being, lives and livelihoods of the people of Wales and to improve public services. This draft Bill is an integral part of a broader aim to reduce inequality and to create a fairer and more inclusive Wales with a vibrant economy that values and safeguards the workforce.
The proposals form a key component of the response to the findings of the Fair Work Commission, which made a series of recommendations in March about how the Welsh Government should encourage fair work practices across Wales. Strengthening social partnership arrangements in Wales is in line with key recommendations from the Fair Work Commission.
The consultation is available at: https://gov.wales/draft-social-partnership-and-public-procurement-wales-bill
The deadline for responses is 23 April 2021.
CECA Wales will be responding on behalf of its members.