The Public Procurement Bill completed its first and second reading in the House of Lords before the Summer and the Committee stage has now also been completed.
The Bill moves on to the Report stage with the exact date for this yet to be confirmed. This will be followed by the third reading in the House of Lords before the Bill is transferred to the House of Commons.
As expected, there are a whole host of amendments proposed to the Bill so far, including the proposal to reverse the burden of proof in relation to exclusion grounds so the contractor would need to prove the relevant ground would not arise again, the addition of a public interests test to be passed before outsourcing can take place and ensuring no undue influence by former ministers or senior civil servants can take place, encouraging a broader evaluation of conflicts of interest.
Our team is currently reviewing the likely impact of all proposed amendments and we will report on these in more detail as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Disclaimer
This information is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. Please contact us for specific advice on your circumstances. © Shoosmiths LLP 2025.