Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Government orders that public spending must back British jobs and skills in every postcode, published on 5 August 2026, what recent discussions her Department has had with small and medium-sized businesses on the potential impact of the proposed procurement requirements on their ability to bid for government contracts.

The Government is committed to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across the country. The government issued a public consultation on procurement reform last year and has continued to engage stakeholders, including the Federation of Small Businesses. Streamlining the social value requirements in central government procurement will simplify the procurement process and make it easier for businesses of all sizes to bid for government contracts.