Oxford POGO Club February 2025: UK Procurement Act Goes Live - Now What?

The Procurement Act 2023 (the Act) went live on 24 February 2025 - now what?

This Act will be the law of the land in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland but not Scotland for devolved matters. The Act introduces various reforms including new public notices earlier and later in the procurement cycle, an expanded central digital platform for notices and supplier registration, and increased procedural flexibility. For public contracting authorities in England, there is also a duty to consider the NPPS. The Act also makes provision for Wales to have a 'Wales procurement policy statement.'

This session of the Oxford POGO Club explored what the new legislation means in practice, particularly for our regular themes of procurement professionalisation and capacity, accountability, transparency, data, social value, social outcomes and mission-driven government.

Chaired by Professor Anne Davies we considered key reforms, the expected impact on procurement processes, and practical steps for adapting to the new landscape. Our excellent panellists are:

• Prof Jane Lynch, Cardiff University
• Kate Gough, Freshfields
• Kieran McGaughey, Independent consultant
• Lindsay Maguire, UK Government Cabinet Office
• Michael Bowsher KC, Monckton Chambers and Kings College London
• Richard Dooner, Welsh Local Government Association
• Ruairi Macdonald, University of Oxford

This online session is co-hosted by the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Law and the Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab) in the Blavatnik School of Government.