Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023

A Welsh Government Bill, introduced by Hannah Blythyn MS, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership. The Business Committee remitted the Bill to the Equality and Social Justice Committee.

About the Bill

The Bill included provision for:

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>>>the establishment of a Social Partnership Council;

>>>a statutory duty on certain public bodies to seek consensus or compromise with their recognised trade unions (or where there is no recognised trade union) other representatives of their staff, when setting their well-being objectives and delivering on those objectives under section 3(2) of the WFG Act 2015;

>>>a statutory duty on Welsh Ministers to consult social partners, employers and worker representatives through the Social Partnership Council when delivering on their well-being objectives under section 3(2)(b) of the WFG Act 2015 ;

>>>amendment of section 4 of the WFG Act 2015 by substituting ‘fair work’ for ‘decent work’ within the existing “A prosperous Wales” goal;

>>>a statutory duty on certain public bodies to consider socially responsible public procurement when carrying out procurement, to set objectives in relation to well-being goals, and to publish a procurement strategy

>>>certain public bodies to carry out contract management duties to ensure that socially responsible outcomes are pursued through supply chains.

>>>reporting duties to be imposed on the public bodies and Welsh Ministers in relation to the Social Partnership Duty and Procurement duty.

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Further details about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum.

Current Stage

BillStageAct

An explanation of the various stages of Welsh Parliament Bills is available in the Guide to the Stages of Public Bills and Acts.

The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 became law in Wales on 24 May 2023.

Record of Passage in the Welsh Parliament

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the Welsh Parliament.

¬¬¬Date of Royal Assent (24 May)

Royal Assent was given on the 24 May.

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¬¬¬Post Stage 4

The Secretary of State for Wales (PDF, 60KB) and the Counsel General (PDF, 162KB) wrote to the Llywydd to advise that they would not be referring the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court under Sections 114, 111B or 112 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.

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¬¬¬Stage 4

Stage 4 proceedings took place in Plenary on 14 March 2023

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales)Bill, as passed at Stage 4 (checked) PDF 244 KB

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¬¬¬Stage 3 (24 January – 7 March 2023)

Following the completion of Stage 2 proceedings, Stage 3 commenced on 24 January 2023.

Stage 3 consideration took place in Plenary on 7 March 2023 to consider amendments to the Bill (as amended at Stage 2).

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3 (PDF 152 KB)

Groupings of Amendments list - 3 March 2023 (PDF 90 KB)

Marshalled list of amendments - 1 March 2023 (PDF 147 KB)

Explanatory Memorandum, revised after Stage 2 (PDF 305 KB)

Letter from the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership - 28 February 2023 (PDF 159 KB)

Notice of Amendments - 27 February 2023 (PDF 106 KB)

Notice of Amendments - 24 February 2023 (PDF 95 KB)

Notice of Amendments - 23 February 2023 (PDF 77 KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table – 23 February 2023 (PDF 63 KB)

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¬¬¬Stage 2, Committee consideration of amendments (30 November 2022 – 23 January 2023)

Stage 2 began on 30 November 2022. Details of tabled amendments for consideration in Committee on 23 January 2023 are published here.

The Equality and Social Justice Committee agreed on 16 January 2023, under Standing Order 26.21, that the order of consideration for Stage 2 proceedings would be: Sections 1 to 22; Schedule 1; Sections 23 to 24; Schedule 2; Sections 25 to 49; Long Title.

Stage 2 consideration took place in committee on 23 January 2023.

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2

Grouping of Amendments list – 18 January 2023

Marshalled list of Amendments – 17 January 2023

Notice of Amendments - 16 January 2023

Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table – 13 January 2023

Notice of Amendments – 12 January 2023 (PDF 96KB)

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¬¬¬ Financial Resolution

In accordance with Standing Order 26.68 the Presiding Officer indicated that a financial resolution was required for this Bill. Further information about financial resolutions is available in section 3 of the Guide to the scrutiny stages for Public Bills.

A Financial Resolution in relation to the Title of Bill was agreed in Plenary on 29 November 2022.

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¬¬¬Stage 1 (7 June 2022 – 29 November 2022)

A debate took place in Plenary on 29 November 2022. The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed.

The Equality and Social Justice Committee agreed its approach to Stage 1 scrutiny on 9 June 2022.

Written consultation responses

Bill summary

Bilingual glossary

Committee dates

The Equality and Social Justice Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
9 June 2022	Consideration of approach to Stage 1 scrutiny	Private meeting	Private meeting
20 June 2022	Evidence sessions	Transcript	View meeting
27 June 2022	Evidence sessions	Transcript	View meeting
4 July 2022	Evidence sessions	Transcript	View meeting
11 July 2022	Evidence sessions	Transcript	View meeting
3 October 2022	Evidence sessions	Transcript	View meeting

The Equality and Social Justice Committee laid its report on 18 November 2022.

The Committee received a response from the Welsh Government on 15 December 2022.

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
12 September 2022 - CANCELLED	Ministerial evidence session

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee was due to take evidence from the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership at its meeting on 12 September 2022. However, in light of the Senedd observing a period of national mourning following the death of Her Majesty The Queen, Senedd Business was suspended on this date. In lieu of the evidence session, the Committee wrote to the Deputy Minister on 22 September, and the Deputy Minister responded on 14 October.

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee laid its report (PDF 1.5 MB) on 17 November 2022.

The Committee received a response from the Welsh Government on 15 December 2022.

The Finance Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
30 June 2022	Ministerial evidence session	Transcript	View meeting

The Finance Committee laid its report (PDF, 1.3MB) on 18 November 2022. The Committee received a response from the Welsh Government on 15 December 2022.

Correspondence

Letter from the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Inflation in the cost estimates accompanying Bills – 12 May 2023 (PDF 145KB)

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¬¬¬Bill introduced (7 June 2022)

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill (PDF 297KB) as introduced on 7 June 2022

Explanatory Memorandum (PDF 1,588KB)

Presiding Officer’s Statement (PDF 143KB)

Statement of Policy of Intent (PDF 275KB)

Business Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill (PDF 40.8KB)

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Contact information

Clerk: Rhys Morgan