Social enterprises and the Welsh economy - Assembly committee begins inquiry

26 May 2010

The National Assembly’s Enterprise and Learning Committee has begun an inquiry into the role of social enterprises in the Welsh economy, and is calling for evidence to be submitted from people who have knowledge in the field.

The committee is interested in the scale and nature of the social enterprise sector in Wales; the challenges it faces - including access to finance and ensuring economic sustainability; the Welsh Government’s approach to supporting it and the availability and suitability of business support and advice for social enterprises and entrepreneurs.

Committee Chair Gareth Jones AM said: “The aim of this inquiry is to examine all aspects of the social enterprise sector in Wales, including how big a part it plays in the wider Welsh economy; how well supported it is; the challenges faced by social enterprises and the potential for development in the sector.

“The committee would encourage anyone with experience or knowledge of the field to submit evidence to inform this important inquiry.

"I am also delighted to announce that we have appointed Lis Burnett as the Committee's Expert Adviser for this inquiry. Lis is Head of Social Entrepreneurship Hub, Centre for Enterprise at the University of Glamorgan and will bring a wealth of experience to the role."

Written submissions should be emailed or sent to the Clerk of the Committee by 1 July:

Enterprise and Learning Committee
National Assembly for Wales
Committee Service
Cardiff Bay
CF99 1NA

Enterprise.learning.comm@Wales.gsi.gov.uk

Notes to editors:-

The agreed areas of interest to the committee are:

· The scale and nature of the social enterprise sector in Wales

· Current and potential opportunities for sustainable economic development and community regeneration presented by the social enterprise business model

· Challenges facing social enterprises in Wales (including access to finance; securing funding and grants; ensuring economic sustainability and viability)

· The Welsh Government's approach to supporting social enterprises, including implementation of the 2009 Social Enterprise Action Plan and the Welsh Government's response to the recommendations in 'Mapping Social Enterprise Activity in Wales - Understanding in Order to Influence'

· Availability and suitability of business support and advice for social enterprises and social entrepreneurs

· Challenges and opportunities presented by public sector procurement

· Social innovation - the potential for social enterprise to develop new, innovative solutions to some of the major challenges facing Wales in the future (N.B. In the Social Enterprise Action Plan the Welsh Government commits to exploring how the Glas Cymru model could be replicated to drive aspects of public service modernisation.)