Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) support the development of social enterprises, and (2) integrate social enterprises into plans to make the UK carbon neutral by 2050.

The Government is committed to developing the innovative and impactful work of social enterprises across the UK. For example:

• Through the pandemic, the Government provided an unprecedented package of support, including furlough payments, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Bounce Back Loans, and direct funding through the £750 million charities and social enterprise support package.

• The new social value model presents a significant opportunity to support social enterprises and invest in our people and communities. Developed with stakeholders, including the federation of Small Businesses and Social Enterprise UK, the model ensures social value is explicitly evaluated in all major central government contracts from January 1st 2021.

All individuals and organisations, including social enterprises, have a part to play in helping us to protect the environment. We welcome small businesses from across the UK to join the green business revolution and commit to becoming greener and more sustainable as we work towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.