3. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:54 pm on 7 June 2022.

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Photo of Peredur Owen Griffiths Peredur Owen Griffiths Plaid Cymru 2:54, 7 June 2022

Thank you very much for the update today, Minister. There are elements within the draft that we welcome, and we look forward to the opportunity to influence its impact, as referenced by the Minister's statement.

Since 2012, Plaid Cymru has continually called for increased public procurement. We want to increase Welsh firms' share of contracts from 52 per cent to 75 per cent of the public procurement budget. It's estimated that this would create 46,000 additional jobs, and safeguard many existing jobs in the Welsh economy. That's a potential benefit that would be transformational for our local economy, our local businesses and our local communities. So, my first question is: how may the Bill be used to drive up public procurement from Welsh companies and businesses as part of supporting the Welsh economy, for example through exploring the use of targets?

I note from the consultation responses released earlier this year that several issues of concern were raised by key partners. The Bevan Foundation raised a number of important points during their consultation response, including the need to address the wider labour market context in which the social partnership Bill will operate. On fair work, they stated that the proposed processes seem very cumbersome and that there was a risk that processes consume too many resources—resources that could be better directed to achieving change on the ground.

Consultation responders such as the Trades Union Congress also raised concerns over the clarity of the definition and principle of social partnership, and suggested that the definition could be strengthened to acknowledge that while it is important that social partners recognise and respect each other's interests, it's also important that each other's mandates and respective areas of expertise are recognised and respected. How have these points been addressed since the publication of the consultation responses, and, in particular, how have they been incorporated into the Bill?

An emphasis on fair work, or, as you have newly defined it, decent work, has become even more salient amid a climate of poor working conditions in recent years. In 2019 and 2020, we saw Cardiff University staff take strike action over pay and working conditions. In September 2021, after heroism throughout the pandemic, workers in the NHS pushed unions to get behind their demand for a 15 per cent pay rise. And last November, bus drivers in Blackwood, Brynmawr and Cwmbran underwent strike action against low pay and cuts to basic terms and conditions. Could you please set out how the Bill would have helped workers in those situations and what it means for groups considering taking strike action?

Finally, Deputy Minister, this Government has suggested on multiple occasions that it intends to tackle the climate emergency in a holistic manner. The TUC made a suggestion that a commitment on green recovery could be made through this Bill by addressing the skills pipeline issues. This could be done by working with unions and others to identify how workers in impacted sectors could adapt their existing skills, whilst also creating new jobs for those who have lost their job in the pandemic. This could transform the retrofitting industry, for example. Is this Bill meeting this potential? Seeing as it seeks to align closely with the well-being of future generations Act, how is it meeting the environmental well-being of Wales? Diolch yn fawr.