, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Okay. Thank you very much, Victoria. We'll send you a transcript to make sure that we've captured your thoughts accurately, and we thank you very much for your time.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
I was just trying to explore further whether there isn't going to be tangible—. Even as drafted at the moment, there could be tangible benefits, if, as you say, the people who are around the table are determined to deliver on them.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
But you don't think that by insisting on standards in public contracts, where public money is being used, it might influence better employment practices across the board.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Thank you. I just want to follow up with one final question. The economic action plan isn't silent on these matters, although the future generations commissioner has not been slow to come forward and criticise procurement decisions that have been made without…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Thank you. Joel James.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Okay. Well, obviously there’s a role here for Senedd Members like us to ensure that there is continuous constructive dialogue and scrutiny of these matters as we go along. Anyway, I think we've probably explored this aspect of it and your concerns adequately…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Okay. Obviously, we’re all in favour of joined-up government and decluttering of the alphabet soup. We’ve been told that, for example, there’ll be job descriptions—that the process for appointing these people around the table will be akin to a public…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
So, would you say that the explanatory memorandum linked to the two lines in the Bill is a fair summary of what we mean by fair work and that, therefore, if that was in some way strengthened in the Bill, that could lead to better outcomes than you are fearing?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
But you seem to be pessimistic that this Bill, as currently constructed, is going to have any measurable impact, and there, obviously, are consequences—cost consequences of doing one thing, this Bill, as opposed to something else.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Thank you. I just wanted to continue with the fair work clause and your concern that this isn't really going to lead anywhere. Clearly, there are limitations on the responsibilities of the Welsh Government and the devolved settlement that we have at the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Thank you very much. Sarah Murphy is going to pick up on the social partnership duty.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
Lovely, thank you very much indeed. So, moving on, the next person is Jane Dodds.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6—the Bevan Foundation
I'd like to welcome Members and the public back to our fourth and final session of the day on the Stage 1 process for the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill. Our witness in this final session is Dr Victoria Winckler, the head of the Bevan…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Very good. Thank you very much indeed for your contributions. If there's anything additional that you want to say that we haven't had time to cover, please feel free to send us something in writing. In the meantime, you will get a transcript of what your…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Okay. Tom Hoyles.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Okay. I think one thing that you might want to respond to is whether this would improve the consultation with the workforce that's going to work in a new building, in terms of good design, or sick buildings, because if we don't design our places of work well…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Okay. Joel James, we have run out of time, but have you got a question that you'd like to just ask?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Can I just pitch in and say that, the Size of Wales and the Welsh Centre for International Affairs has said that there ought to be a clause in there about global responsibilities when it comes to procurement? Is that something that any of your organisations…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Right. Well, we've heard so far that both employers and employees think this is a good idea, so hopefully we can take that forward. I'd like to move us on to socially responsible public procurement, and Peredur is going to lead the questions.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
So, is there something that we could use as a benchmark of progress of this Bill as described at the moment? What would you want to see after five years or 10 years of this Bill having been put in place?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
I just want to briefly discuss the fair work clause in the Bill, and just really continue the theme that we've just been discussing. I mean, there are lots of ways in which we measure the performance of public bodies. One local authority repairs roads more…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Peredur.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Okay. Thank you. I'd like to pass over to Sarah Murphy, who's going to look at the social partnership duty.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Okay. Jane Dodds.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5—trade unions (2)
Okay. I wonder if you can send us a written note on what the costs and benefits will be. I'll bear in mind that one of our members chairs the Finance Committee, so I think this is important to tie down. Right, I would like to move us on at this point, and Ken…
