Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to tackle regulatory barriers to the creation of new co-operatives.

The Government is committed to reducing regulatory barriers to establishing and growing co-operatives. We will shortly publish our response to the call for evidence on business support for co-operatives and non-financial mutuals, which will set out our approach to easing regulatory barriers more generally.

In September, the Department published a consultation on modernising corporate reporting, including considering how reporting requirements can be made more proportionate and better suited to member-owned businesses.

Separately, the Law Commission is reviewing co-operative and community benefit society law, including provisions on share capital and external investment, and is expected to report in early 2027.