Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the cooperative sector's contribution to the economy.

The Government recognises the value of co-operatives. It is clear they offer a different way of running a business, supporting the needs of their members and their local communities.

Co-operatives UK, the UK’s largest industry body for co-operatives, publishes a report each year about the scale of the sector. Their 2021 report, published in December, noted that there were over 7,200 co-ops employing over 250,000 people, with a combined turnover of £39.7 billion.