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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they (1) currently support, and (2) plan to support, the social enterprise and social investment sectors across the UK.

The Government continues to deliver a number of initiatives to support social enterprises. Specifically we have strengthened the social investment market by building the infrastructure, for example by setting up Big Society Capital, the world’s first wholesale social investment institution, which has already made over £587m worth of investments. We have also set up Access, a £60m foundation for social investment, which supports social enterprises to take on investment.

In addition, the Government has increased opportunities for social enterprises to win public sector contracts by developing 32 operational Social Impact Bonds, which are a type of outcomes based contracts to deliver public services.

We have also encouraged individuals to invest in social enterprises through the world’s first Social Investment Tax Relief that allows people to offset 30% of the cost of their investment from their income tax liability. UK charities and social enterprises have raised £3.4m in two years thanks to the relief. Access to procurement opportunities for social enterprises has been facilitated through the Social Value Act, which encourages commissioners to consider the social value of their suppliers.

The Government continues to support the growth of public service mutuals to promote greater employee input within organisations. 115 public service mutuals have been created since 2010.

The recent Industrial Strategy Green Paper reaffirmed the government's commitment to social enterprise, and the government is currently consulting on this.