Public Services (Social Value) Bill remaining stages

The House of Commons held the report stage and third reading of the Public Services (Social Value) Bill on Friday 25 November. The Private Members' Bill will now be sent to the House of Lords for consideration

Summary of the Bill

The Bill was previously named Public Services (Social Enterprise and Social Value) Bill. The Bill aims to strengthen the social enterprise business sector and make the concept of 'social value' more relevant and important in the placement and provision of public services.

Key areas are:

places a duty on the Secretary of State to publish a 'national social enterprise strategy' to encourage engagement in social enterprise
amends Section 4 of the Local Government Act 2000 so that local authorities are required to include in their sustainable community strategy proposals for promoting engagement with social enterprise in their area. They must also include a statement of the measures suggested to enable social enterprise to participate in implementing these proposals
requires local authorities, when entering into public procurement contracts, to give greater consideration to economic, social or environmental wellbeing during the pre-procurement stage.

Progress of the Bill

The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 30 June 2010 by Chris White, Conservative MP for Warwick and Leamington, and received second reading on 19 November 2010. The Bill was considered in a Public Bill Committee on 19 October 2011.

The report stage and third reading took place on 25 November 2011. The Bill has passed all its Commons stages and will now be sent to the House of Lords for consideration.

Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers, on the Public Services (Social Value) Bill. Also find out how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.

House of Commons Library analysis

The House of Commons Library produce briefing papers to inform MPs of key issues. The Library published briefing papers for second reading and a report on the committee stage.

Report stage proceedings

Friday 25 November

MPs considered in the following order; New Clause 1.

Report stage proceedings for 25 November 2011

New Clause 1 which relates to a National Social Enterprise Strategy was read a first time and was by leave, withdrawn.

The Bill recieved its third reading without a division. The Bill will now be considered by the House of Lords.

Watch and read the proceedings on report stage and third reading and the views expressed by MPs on Parliament TV and in Commons Hansard.

Report stage and third reading

The report stage gives MPs an opportunity, on the floor of the House, to consider further amendments (proposals for change) to a Bill which has been examined in committee.

There is no set time period between the end of committee stage and the start of the report stage.

What happens at report stage?

All MPs may speak and vote, for lengthy or complex Bills the debates may be spread over several days. All MPs can suggest amendments to the Bill or new clauses (parts) they think should be added.

What happens after report stage?

Report stage is usually followed immediately by debate on the Bill's third reading.

What happens at third reading?

Debate on the Bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the Bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.

Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a Bill at third reading in the Commons.

At the end of the debate, the House decides (votes on) whether to approve the third reading of the Bill.

What happens after third reading?

If the Bill started in the Commons it goes to the House of Lords for its first reading. If the Bill started in the Lords it will return to the House of Lords for consideration of any amendments the Commons have made.