Question to the Minister of Finance

Minister's Answer

Leveraging public spend to achieve better social value outcomes is a key priority.

To date positive outcomes of the Scorning Social Value Procurement Policy Note have included:

• 3,500+ people who were long-term unemployed or disadvantaged in the labour market have gained employment

• 75+ social enterprises are now part of government supply chains

• 2,700+ hours of volunteering with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises sector

• 6,500+ hours of skills development activities

• 2,800+ weeks of work experience

• Over 3,500 hours of environmental awareness initiatives

• 2400+ hours of health and well-being initiatives

The new Procurement Act 2023 places a duty on contracting authorities to have regard ‘to the importance of maximising public benefit’ and ‘to the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises may face particular barriers to participation and consider whether such barriers can be removed or reduced’.

In light of the new regulations, I am also reviewing the current Scoring Social Value Policy to identify areas where the Policy can be strengthened to improve its impact. One of the issues I am keen to address is feedback received from representative groups for small and medium sized and micro businesses who believe that some areas of the Scoring Social Value Policy may be impacting on their ability to tender for government contracts.

The ability to amend Policy, particularly to address any unintended consequences, is essential.

My priority at present is to ensure we have the most impactful means to deliver Social Value. Following consultation with the key stakeholders, I plan to bring the revised Policy to the Executive for approval following the Summer recess.