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Cooperatives

Asked by Jim McMahonLabour (Co-op)Department for Business and TradeTabled Answered 17 October 2025UIN 78368

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Government-funded business development support in the co-operative and mutual sectors.

Answered by Blair McDougall

The Department for Business and Trade committed to launch a Call for Evidence on co-operative and mutual business. The Call for Evidence will focus on how the government can continue to support co-operative and mutual businesses, to start, grow and scale, as well as support for existing businesses who want to transition to become a co-operative or mutual.

As part of this, we will be collecting data on existing business support for co-operatives and mutuals, including, but not limited to government funded support.

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