To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she plans to take to encourage (a) social enterprises, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) organisations employing young people to bid for Government contracts; and if she will make a statement. (315085)

The Government are committed to providing a range of support to increase the ability of all types of third sector organisations, including social enterprises and organisations employing young people, to bid for and deliver Government contracts.

We have therefore funded the national programme for third sector commissioning which provides a range of training to improve and increase the commissioning of public services from the third sector.

The Government have also established the MISC 37 Cabinet Committee to investigate barriers to third sector organisations securing and delivering specific public service contracts.

In addition Futurebuilders investments have increased the ability of third sector organisations to better bid for, win and deliver Government contracts now and in the future. In 2009 alone Futurebuilders investees won over 230 public service delivery contracts.

To ensure that SMEs have equal opportunities to bid for Government business an OGC/BIS programme, Access for All, is currently implementing the recommendations made in the Glover Committee report “Accelerating the SME Economic Engine”.