| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Perhaps some businesses could buy from the third sector, using their purchasing power so that those third sector organisations—social enterprises in particular—that are looking for sustainable sources of income to enable them to carry on doing what they do become more enterprising in how they generate that income. If we could get private sector organisations to build third sector organisations into their supply chains, be it in respect of basic supplies, services for their employees or
even delivering its core business by buying from a third sector organisation, we would get so much more from them. To push it even further, what about investing in the third sector? Many charities, particularly small ones, find that access to funding and finance is one of the biggest barriers to their growth and development. Perhaps we could promote that, too.
May I rather mischievously use this debate to announce an event called “Good Deals” that we are holding on 6 May to explore all the issues about how we might progress? I hope that Members will find an interest in that.
I am delighted to return to the focus of my speech, and my hon. Friend’s promotion of Pennies4Change. It
is an extraordinarily positive way for individuals to give spontaneously and to make giving an integral part of their everyday lives, and it would be the cultural shift that he described, which is so important. He will appreciate that I am not allowed to endorse a specific proposal, but I thank him for highlighting the project and for giving us the chance to explore it in its initial stages and to see how it might contribute to the wider range of good work that I have tried to map out tonight which is being carried out in the sector as a whole. I shall certainly facilitate the meeting that he asked for to reinforce the initiatives that are already being championed by the Government through the Office of the Third Sector.
Adjourned accordingly at twenty-nine minutes to Seven o’clock.
| Index | Home Page |