Oral Answers to Questions

Euan Stainbank Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab)]

7. What steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement.

[Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)]

11. What steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement.

[Jack Abbott (Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op)]

12. What steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Georgia Gould]

It is brilliant to hear about my hon. Friend�s leadership in supporting small businesses and the work they are doing in her constituency. We are absolutely determined that SMEs should have that fair crack. The new national procurement policy statement asks us to maximise spend with small businesses. It also sets stretching and transparent targets for each Department, which will be brought to the House. We will be held to account for delivering on them.

[Euan Stainbank]

The targets in the national procurement policy statement for Government Departments to buy from British SMEs are to be strongly welcomed. The benefit will be long term, with broad and essential sources of investment, and we will improve our economy�s domestic resilience. Bus manufacturing is an area that needs domestic resilience, with over 100 jobs recently lost in the Falkirk area because the previous Government failed to support British buses. At the bus expert panel next week, does the Minister expect a general increase in domestic procurement following the updated national procurement policy statement?