Mark Ferguson

Mark Ferguson

Labour — Gateshead Central and Whickham

Speaking in the House of Commons on 10 September 2026

Debate

Government Contracts: Small Businesses

Contribution

All Departments have set ambitious small and medium-sized enterprise spends, and we have strengthened late payment policy and are now making it easier for SMEs to bid by raising the threshold for when social value should be taken into account. This Government are determined to use public procurement to back small and medium-sized enterprises. I was pleased that the Federation of Small Businesses welcomed our social value changes over the summer.

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