The Social Value Bill has edged closer to becoming law, after passing its second reading in the House of Lords.

Peers were near-unanimous in their support for the Bill, which will see “social value” instilled across public procurement.

The Private Member’s Bill was introduced in 2010 by Tory MP Chris White. White said: “I am delighted to see that the Bill has been given strong support in the House of Lords by all parties and that there is a desire to see it become law as soon as possible.

"This Bill is a great opportunity for us to not only spend public money better but also to support voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises across the country.
 
"I hope that if we can maintain this consensus we can achieve a positive step forward for our public services and our communities.”

Peers now have 14 days to table any amendments.  If no amendments are made, the third reading in the House of Lords could be timetabled within three to four weeks.

The Bill has already gone through a number of amendments by government, including the removal of "social enterprise" from the Bill's title, and the removal of "social enterprise strategies" in the text.

Peter Holbrook, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “The level of cross-party support we witnessed today in the House of Lords signals the significance of this legislation and is a tribute to Chris White, who is moving this progressive Bill through parliament with great commitment and a desire to see real change in public sector commissioning practices. 

"Politicians taking part in the debate clearly understood the advantages of having social enterprises delivering public sector contracts.  This is heartening for our sector.”