All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Enterprise

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Enterprise
Name	All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Enterprise
Formation	2001
Type	Informal cross-party parliamentary group
Headquarters	Palace of Westminster
Location	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Leader title	Chair

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Enterprise is an informal cross-party grouping of Members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords that focuses on the promotion and development of social enterprise in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, the group has engaged with a range of stakeholders including Cabinet Office, Department for Business, Big Society Capital, Social Investment Business, and civil society actors such as Social Enterprise UK, The Prince's Trust, and Nesta. It operates within the parliamentary framework alongside other bodies like the Public Accounts Committee, Select Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills, and various All-Party Parliamentary Groups such as those on Microfinance and Fairtrade.

History

The group was established in 2001 amid growing interest from parliamentarians including figures associated with Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and crossbench peers linked to the House of Lords reform debates. Early convenings connected activists from Charity Commission for England and Wales, entrepreneurs involved with Mondragon Corporation and academics from institutions such as the London School of Economics, University of Cambridge, and University of Oxford. Over time the APPG engaged with policy milestones including the launch of the Big Society agenda under Conservative Party leadership, the creation of Big Society Capital, and legislative developments influenced by reports from the House of Commons Library and inquiries by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.

Purpose and Objectives

The group's stated objectives are to champion legal forms such as the Community Interest Company, to promote access to finance via bodies like Social Investment Business and Big Society Capital, and to support pathways between social enterprises and procurement frameworks employed by institutions such as the National Health Service and local authorities like Greater London Authority. It seeks to inform ministers in departments including the Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on issues affecting organizations similar to The Big Issue, Greggs Foundation, and community-led projects that mirror models from Co-operative Group and John Lewis Partnership.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises MPs drawn from parties including the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats, and crossbench peers from the House of Lords. Chairs and vice-chairs have included parliamentarians with links to constituencies such as Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Glasgow. The group coordinates meetings in venues across the Palace of Westminster and engages with parliamentary officials from the Committee on Standards. It liaises with external secretariats such as Social Enterprise UK, trade bodies like the Federation of Small Businesses, and academic centres including Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Cambridge Judge Business School.

Activities and Campaigns

The APPG convenes inquiry sessions with witnesses from organisations such as Nesta, UnLtd, Sainsbury's, Co-operatives UK, and international actors including representatives of Social Finance, Ashoka, and the European Commission. Campaigns have targeted public procurement rules influenced by the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 debates, social investment market development alongside Big Society Capital and Big Lottery Fund, and employment initiatives connected to Prince's Trust programs. The group has hosted seminars with figures from Department for International Development, representatives of the World Bank, and policy experts from think tanks like IPPR and Institute for Government.

Reports and Publications

The APPG has produced inquiry reports and briefings informing parliamentary debate and influencing policy papers produced by ministries such as the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Publications have drawn on evidence from organisations including Social Enterprise UK, New Philanthropy Capital, KPMG, and academic studies from University of Oxford Said Business School and London School of Economics. Topics covered include social investment tax relief models, procurement reform, scaling social firms akin to Greggs Foundation and international case studies referencing Mondragon Corporation and Grameen Bank.

Influence and Criticism

Supporters point to the group's role in shaping instruments such as the Community Interest Company regime, influencing funding flows through Big Society Capital, and raising the profile of social enterprise in parliamentary agendas alongside committees like the Public Accounts Committee. Critics argue that APPGs risk capture by commercial consultancies and lobbyists linked to firms such as KPMG and that outcomes favor market-oriented solutions over statutory reform, citing debates involving organisations like The Big Issue and trade union interlocutors such as the Trades Union Congress. Academic critics from institutions like University of Manchester and Goldsmiths, University of London have questioned the measurable impact of APPG recommendations relative to government white papers and primary legislation.

Category:Organisations based in the City of Westminster Category:United Kingdom politics