Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that infrastructure projects commissioned by public bodies prioritise local (a) employment and (b) contractors.

I refer the hon Member to the National Procurement Policy Statement published by the Cabinet Office on 13 February 2025, which states that in carrying out a procurement covered by the Procurement Act 2023, a contracting authority must have regard to the importance of maximising public benefit. Applying social and economic value requirements in procurement can have a significantly positive impact by broadening the public benefits that are delivered through the life of the contract.