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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 9 March (HL5605), whether they will clarify whether their commitment to social enterprises includes social enterprises which support or employ ex-prisoners.

Social enterprises play an important role in the government’s mission of building an economy that works for everyone and we recognise the value of social enterprises in helping offenders find employment. The government is building on its role as a world leader in social enterprise by championing procurement for social value, supporting social enterprise awareness campaigns, building the social investment market, using social enterprises to address issues at scale and expanding social investment tax relief. Social enterprises employing or supporting ex-prisoners, or indeed anyone with a disadvantage that makes it difficult for them to access the job market, are included in the government’s social enterprise support set out above.