Jane Hutt, Minister for Finance and Leader of the House
This was published under the 2011 to 2016 administration of the Welsh Government
The use of blacklists is wholly unacceptable and I fully sympathise with the individuals and their families who have suffered a terrible injustice as a consequence of contractors engaging in this practice.
The concerns expressed by those individuals affected and by the unions that represent them are of paramount importance to me.
Procurement is an important part of the overall policy toolkit of the Welsh Government. I am committed to ensuring that the collective procurement expenditure of the Welsh public sector is used to achieve widest value for money and support the delivery of community benefits, including provision of training and employment opportunities. Under no circumstances is it acceptable for any business in receipt of public procurement expenditure to use blacklists.
I am in contact with the UK Government’s Business Minister and also monitoring the inquiry being conducted through the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.
My officials in Value Wales are currently considering the measures available to strengthen our procurement policy and help eradicate the unacceptable practice of blacklisting. Value Wales will shortly issue guidance to all public bodies in Wales in relation to the most robust procurement approaches to selecting suppliers, setting contract conditions and managing delivery.