Rotherham MP re-launches 'Buy British Bill' in Parliament

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, originally launched her Buy British Bill in the previous Parliament, with the Bill reaching the Second Reading stage, before it was stopped by the General Election.

With the government undergoing work to produce a new National Procurement Policy Statement, Ms Champion has re-introduced the Bill to “create a cultural change within government so that it awards more public contracts to British business, including British farmers, manufacturers and SMEs.”

If adopted, the Bill would support the Government’s aims, by increasing the importance of social value during the procurement process, improving transparency around contracts awarded to SMEs and increasing the visibility of British food procured by the public sector.

In the last Parliament, the Bill had the support of the Labour frontbench as well as the National Farmers Union, RSPCA, YPO, Countryside Alliance, TUV, APSE, UK Steel, Bloom Procurement Services and the National Federation of Builders.

Ms Champion said: “Britain has dynamic, world-leading businesses which need more investment.

“I look around my constituency of Rotherham, which has excellent companies, big and small, that rightly deserve a slice of the £300 billion pie spent on public procurement.

“I’m proud that the Labour Government is working to change our procurement policy to ensure that it delivers economic growth.

“However, quality British goods and services must be prioritised, and that is what I am hopeful my Bill will do.”