Clause 1 - National social enterprise strategy

Part of Public Services (Social Enterprise and Social Value) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:45 am on 19 October 2011.

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Photo of Richard Fuller Richard Fuller Conservative, Bedford 9:45, 19 October 2011

It is a great pleasure to contribute to the debate, Mr Gray, and to follow the distinguished speeches that began it. It is also a great honour to congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington. He is described in the newspapers today as self-deprecating—and he is. He has achieved a tremendous amount with the Bill, so far. It is the desire of Members on both sides of the House that his journey, and ours with him, should continue in promoting the role of social enterprises in the United Kingdom. I also thank the Minister for his efforts in promoting the parts of the Bill that he thinks fit the Government’s overall strategy. That is a tremendous help for all of us who believe that social enterprise’s evolving and emerging role in our economy should be encouraged and nurtured, both in our local communities and nationally.

Good points have been made about clauses 1 and 2 from the Opposition Benches—I say that, but this is pretty much a communal effort. I shall speak briefly about a couple of those points.