Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:02 pm on 15 December 2021.
I'm grateful to you, Minister, for that response. Two weeks ago, during a Welsh Conservative debate on small businesses, I encouraged the economy Minister to look at ways to strengthen our procurement practices to help small local businesses bid for public sector contracts. You'll be aware of the research that shows that for every £1 a small business receives, 63p is reinvested in the local economy, compared to 40p for larger firms. That's why it's crucial that the procurement system is as accessible as possible to small businesses and that they have every opportunity to win contracts in the first place. What discussions have you had with your colleague the economy Minister on this issue? And in light of the social partnership and public procurement Wales Bill, how will you ensure that small businesses are able to fairly compete for contracts in the future?