Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harpreet Uppal and Chris Ward

Thursday 25th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Liz Twist (Blaydon and Consett) (Lab)]

14. What steps he is taking to help support small and medium-sized businesses through reforms to public procurement.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Chris Ward)]

This Government are determined to ensure that public procurement backs small and medium-sized businesses. That is why we have strengthened late payment rules, have set ambitious targets for all Departments to spend more with small and medium-sized enterprises—totalling £7 billion by 2028—and are simplifying the entire system to ensure that SMEs get a fairer crack. We are working with the Federation of Small Businesses on this, and there is much more to come.

[Harpreet Uppal]

This week I welcomed Antich & Sons to Parliament. It is a family-owned textiles company that, for the past decade, has been innovating by using traditional local skills and methods to develop 3D weaving techniques and provide cutting-edge advanced material solutions. Given how that aligns with the industrial strategy and the northern growth strategy, what are this Government doing to help companies like Antich & Sons access procurement processes?