UNISON is calling on the government to delay its new public procurement regulations, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which came into force today (26 February) for all public service contracts – except those for NHS England – in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Governments across Europe are introducing regulations which set out the criteria which firms bidding for government, council and health contracts need to meet. They need to do this by April 2016.
The Scottish government is currently consulting on its devolved regulations
But the UK government is rushing the rules for the rest of the UK in now. And rather than use the full scope of EU regulations to encourage better practice among private firms biddig for public contracts, it has chosen to make cost the only relevant factor that companies need to consider.
Every year, billions of pounds of contracts from central government, local authorities and the NHS are up for grabs and general secretary Dave Prentis noted that the new European regulations “give individual governments much greater flexibility on the importance they can place on certain factors.
“They could make sure that any private company running a publicly funded service is a good employer, whose workers enjoy decent pay, safe working conditions and the opportunity to enhance their career prospects.”
That is why UNISON is calling for the introduction of the UK regulations until after the election.
UNISON briefing calling for delay of the UK Public Contracts Regulations 2015
Press release: Rushed regulations won’t help boost living standards