Angela Eagle asks public sector to Make Equality Count
Released on
10/12/2008
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Angela Eagle, has today launched a new pamphlet to provide guidance to those working in the public sector on how they can utilise the collective £175 billion spending power on third party goods and services to help create a fairer and more equal society.
The new pamphlet Make Equality Count is the third in a series launched by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) aimed at highlighting how public sector procurement can contribute to key Government policy goals. It follows two other practical guides launched earlier this year on how procurement can support environmental and social issues.
The launch of the pamphlet at a Civil Service equality conference in London, follows the announcement of a Single Equality Bill in last week's Queen's Speech, which aims to simplify and strengthen the body of equality legislation that has been introduced over the past forty years.
Using clear examples, the new pamphlet demonstrates what the current public sector equality duties mean in the context of public procurement, and how equality issues can be addressed at the different stages of the procurement process within the legal and policy framework governing public procurement. It aims to assist the public sector in considering the benefits to wider society from procurement, while obtaining value-for-money.
Launching the pamphlet, Angela Eagle said:
"The government is committed to equality of opportunity for all and we are striving to create a society that is both fair and able to utilise the talents of everyone, no matter what their background.
"Procurement really can have a positive impact on people's lives and it is vital that we continue the work in developing a fairer and more socially inclusive society. The OGC's work in driving forward this agenda in public sector procurement is helping to make those goals a reality. It's not just possible but essential that we not only achieve better value for money through public procurement, but that we also use it to achieve a fairer society and greater equality of opportunity for all."
Speaking about the publication, Vera Baird QC, MP, Solicitor General, who will be taking the Equality Bill through the House, said:
"It is important to make use of public purchasing power in our efforts to broaden equality's reach. £175billion is spent by the public sector on private sector contracts every year. The purchasing power of public bodies can help encourage fairness and allow standards to improve across the board."
The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is an independent office of HM Treasury, established to help Government deliver best value from its spending. The OGC works with central Government departments and other public sector organisations to ensure the achievement of six key goals:
Delivery of value for money from third party spend;
Delivery of projects to time, quality and cost, realising benefits;
Getting the best from the Government's £30bn estate;
Improving the sustainability of the Government estate and operations, including reducing carbon emissions by 12.5% by 2010-11, through stronger performance management and guidance;
Helping achieve delivery of further Government policy goals, including innovation, equality, and support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs);
And driving forward the improvement of central Government capability in procurement, project and programme management, and estates management through the development of people skills, processes and tools.
OGC provides policy standards and guidance on best practice in procurement, projects and estate management, and monitors and challenges departments' performance against these standards, grounded in an evidence base of information and assurance. It promotes and fosters collaborative procurement across the public sector to deliver better value for money and better public services; and it provides innovative ways to develop Government's commercial and procurement capability, including leadership of the Government Procurement Service.
For media enquiries only contact: Michael Dunning, Media Relations Manager T: 020 7271 1318 F: 020 7271 1345 M: 07771 815245 E: michael.dunning@ogc.gsi.gov.uk
