CBI responds to Procurement Bill call for evidence

Public procurement represents not only a significant chunk of public spending, but also a unique opportunity to help businesses, communities, and the UK grow if done right. The Procurement Bill represents a wholesale reform of procurement rules and regulations several years in the making and it is essential that the potential benefits for businesses are fully realised.

Following a previous submission on behalf of members to the Transforming Public Procurement green paper, the CBI has now provided written evidence to the Public Bill Committee scrutinising the Procurement Bill.

Read the full submission here.

After a tricky passage through the House of Lords, the Procurement Bill is currently making its way through the House of Commons, with both MPs from all parties keen to have their say on the priorities for this once-in-a-generation legislation. The CBI has been briefing both government and opposition parties and this submission represents a general summary of our insights from businesses across the country.

Industry broadly welcomes the Procurement Bill and is particularly supportive of a number of proposed changes. If gotten right, the Procurement Bill will help unlock the full benefits of public-private partnerships by making the process simpler, more transparent, and more focused on value for money.

However, more can and should be done to foster innovation and tackle risk aversion to drive UK growth. The Bill currently fails to capitalise on the opportunities available, and runs the risk of hampering the UK’s desires to be a cutting-edge environment for innovative public-private partnerships.

Next steps will involve engaging more with members on specific changes and supporting MPs during the Report Stage of the Bill’s progress.

To learn more or get involved with the CBI’s public-private partnership work, please reach out to Josh ([email protected]) and Liz ([email protected]).