To ask the Minister of Finance (i) for an update on the delivery of the social value procurement policy; and (ii) whether she will update the procurement policy note 01/21 to increase the minimum total award criteria.

The Executive Policy on scoring social value in public procurement has been significant in delivering meaningful economic, environmental and social outcomes here. To date these have included:

3,500+ people who were long-term unemployed or disadvantaged in the labour market have gained employment.

75+ social enterprises have been part of the supply chain in public sector contracts

2,700+ hours of volunteering with the VCSE sector

6,500+ hours of skills development activities

2,800+ weeks of work experience delivered

The Strategic Investment Board has recently completed a review of the implementation of the Scoring Social Value Policy and has provided a report which recommends enhancements to help small and micro businesses to deliver social value, and to improve the effectiveness of the policy to better align to a new Programme for Government; Climate Change Commitments; and/or the Investment Strategy NI. The outcome of the review will be bought to the Executive over the coming months to help inform the decision to increase the minimum weighting for social value to 20%.