CO-OPERATIVES FORTNIGHT

That this House welcomes the UK's second Co-operatives Fortnight, to be held from 25 June to 9 July 2011; recognises that co-operatives make a significant contribution to the UK economy with their combined turnover of over 30 billion and that they help narrow the gap between rich and poor through employee ownership and profit sharing; further recognises that community ownership can save local services including village shops and pubs as well as enable people to take action on housing, arts, sport, land, finance and green energy; urges the Government to promote co-operative enterprise; and calls on the Government to reduce regulation and administrative burdensso that it is as easy to start a co-operative as any other form of business.