, Finance Committee
Financial Implications of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
No.
, Finance Committee
Financial Implications of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes. I think it's worth bearing that in mind. We could have said, 'Actually, even though it's under the Health and Care Act, that's an English approach.' In principle, we could have said, 'Well, actually, can we have a legislative consent motion and can you…
, Finance Committee
Financial Implications of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I think it's probably worth saying, also, if we didn't do this, we would come under the new UK Government public procurement Bill and so we're going to have to learn a new regime anyway. Whatever happens, things are going to change here. So, the question is…
, Finance Committee
Financial Implications of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It is quite difficult to quantify, because we don't know what the regulations are going to be, but what we do know is that there is potential for the costs to be, for example, us not being able to—. The financial costs might be quite difficult to quantify…
, Finance Committee
Financial Implications of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Okay. Thanks. This is not the most exciting Bill ever to come in front of the Senedd. I think we can start with that. But, it is actually a response to something that's happening elsewhere, and there is a need for us to respond. So, if I can just run through…
, Finance Committee
Financial Implications of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I'm Eluned Morgan. I'm the Minister for Health and Social Services.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, I don't think this is very complicated. Once you've made the tweak—. You've seen how short the Bill is. It's not a difficult amendment to make, I don't think; it's a very small amendment, really.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, it's got to be published on the Welsh Government website, and, obviously, that will be bilingual as well. That's just in line with every public sector body in terms of accessibility of regulations, and just in keeping with every other Bill.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
And the point is that it just replicates what's being said in England, so the whole point is we're trying to replicate everything, so we're not going too far away from what they're suggesting there. So, it's all about consistency, really—consistency in the…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I think it's acknowledged that the powers in 116A apply to local authorities, but they only apply when they're procuring health services as a part of the NHS. So, it is, actually, quite limited, once again. It's very tightly defined. So, for example, a local…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It's niche. This is very, very niche.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
To health services, yes.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
In this instance, it would be the equivalent of the provider selection regime.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Sorry?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It's services. But where there's a little bit of a crossover is things—. For example, if we wanted to procure blood services, you couldn't buy blood without buying it in a test tube or whatever, so you would effectively need to buy a good alongside that…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes, that's a good. It's the difference between goods and services.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It's service—service. That's—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes. It's not about food.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
No.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, I think this is just usual consultation duties—we think that's sufficient under these circumstances, and we think that the—. The statutory guidance, obviously, is subject to that 12-week consultation.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
There are two phases, aren't there? That's the point. You consult twice. You've got once on the operational principles, and then you do it—. Is that right?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Is that right? Sorry—. [Interruption.]
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, there's a 12-week consultation period on the statutory guidance.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, I think it's more the operational principles that I think Dafydd talked about earlier.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, the idea is that we produce them alongside the regulations.
