Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of community ownership to businesses in rural areas.

This government is committed to doubling the size of the co-operative and mutuals sector. Diverse business models are important, not only in terms of our growth mission, but also to support our communities to thrive. That is why we welcomed the independent Co-operatives and Mutual Business Council, formed in March, to help us explore how working together, we can fulfil our ambition to grow the sector.

And, earlier this month DBT and HMT Ministers hosted a reception at No.10 Downing Street to celebrate the Co-operatives and Mutuals sector and set out the Government’s next steps – including launching a Call for Evidence later this year, on how we can continue to support co-operatives and mutual businesses to start, grow and scale, as well as support existing businesses transition to become a co-operative or mutual.

We are also delivering on the pledge to replace the community ‘Right to Bid’ with a strengthened ‘Right to Buy’ for Assets of Community Value, creating a clearer route to community ownership.