Mike Hedges MS welcomes new Bill to put Team Wales approach on statute book

Mike Hedges MS welcomes new Bill to put Team Wales approach on statute book

Mike Hedges, MS Welsh Labour’s Member of the Senedd for Swansea East, has welcomed the introduction of a new Bill to improve well-being and public services, through social partnership and socially responsible procurement.

The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill will put Wales’s successful social partnership approach onto the statute book.

Welcoming the Bill’s introduction to the Senedd, Mike Hedges MS said:

“Social partnership has evolved to become a uniquely Welsh way of working and, over the course of the last two years, this way of working has demonstrated very clear benefits for workers, employers, and the Welsh Government alike.

“I am pleased that the Welsh Labour Government has been able to bring this important piece of legislation early in this Senedd term.”

The Bill will create a statutory social partnership framework at an all-Wales level by establishing a permanent Social Partnership Council for Wales, bringing together the Welsh Government, employers and worker representatives nominated by the Wales TUC.

The Bill places new social partnership duties on certain public bodies and on Welsh Ministers; promotes fair work in working towards well-being goals and socially responsible public procurement.

It also aims to make Wales a stronger and fairer place to live and work by helping unite government, workers, and public services towards a common vision of a prosperous, resilient, healthier, more equal, vibrantly cultural Wales, with a thriving Welsh language.

Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister, Mark Drakeford has described social partnership as a “uniquely Welsh way of working,” which brings people, businesses, and public service together to work towards a common goal.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The full text of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill is available here: https://senedd.wales/media/2y3fghox/pri-ld15134-e.pdf

The Bill has been in development since 2019 and has been the subject of extensive consultation and engagement with social partners, wider stakeholders, and the public.

In November 2019, the then Welsh Government published a White Paper: “A More Equal Wales: Strengthening Social Partnership”.  That document made clear the Welsh Government’s commitment to strengthen social partnership arrangements in Wales and set out initial proposals for a new legislative framework.  The consultation closed in January 2020.  A link to the White Paper and a summary of the responses can be found here: A more equal Wales: strengthening social partnership white paper | GOV.WALES.