The Ethnic Minority Business and Access to Finance review has raised awareness and encouraged engagement between the banking community and ethnic minority businesses. The report was published in July 2013 with a plan for action.
The actions were addressed primarily at the industry, British Bankers' Association and others including Local Enterprise Partnerships, supported by Government. Progress against the actions is set out below.
Action 1: Spreading the Word
The banking community continues to work with accountants, business groups and specialist business networks through the Enterprise Diversity Alliance and other forums such as the National Black Women's Network and the Yorkshire Asian Business Association, to raise awareness of the range of support available. This has included developing finance guides, refreshing the Better Business Finance website to make it more friendly, and running a national campaign aimed at all SMEs to inform them of the support available, including the appeals process if rejected for finance.
These details have been made available to ethnic minority businesses through key regional events, newsletters, and the various partners and networks that sit on the British Bankers' Association Diversity and Inclusion Business Council launched in 2014. The Authority also sits on the advisory group of the Enterprise Diversity Alliance, with a number of banks who also run specific Enterprise Diversity Alliance business support and finance work-streams.
Action 2: Making support easier to access
The British Bankers' Association, with banks, has run a series of mentoring workshops and because of these, and follow up bank support, some ethnic minority businesses have created their own mentoring networks and many of these businesses have taken up mentoring support. Events are held in areas with a high concentration of ethnic minority businesses notably Leicester, London, Wolverhampton and Birmingham, to raise awareness, understanding and build confidence in accessing finance.
Specialist mentoring is offered to ethnic minority businesses through mentoring organisations such as Business in the Community, Capital Enterprises and SCA Management Consulting Ltd. If a mentee wishes to specify a particular ethnicity for their mentor they can do so at the matching stage.
Action 3: Promote the alternatives
The Government is legislating through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill to require large banks to refer declined small business finance applications to online platforms, who will seek to match businesses seeking finance to alternative lenders. Community Development Finance Institutions will be able to access these platforms alongside a range of other lenders, including challenger banks and peer-to-peer lenders. This proposal will help put small businesses seeking finance in touch with lenders who may be able to help them.
Action 4: Use Local Enterprise Partnerships to best advantage
Local Enterprise Partnerships have been established as voluntary partnerships and are encouraged by Government to ensure that their boards are representative of the businesses in their locality, and are not dominated by a single group or organisation.
Action 5: Expanding our understanding
The 2013 Ethnic Minority Business report http://www.sme-finance-monitor.co.uk/ was published earlier this year. The 2014 report is due to be published in January 2015. This work, coupled with that of the bank and BIS supported Enterprise Research Centre, is being used by the British Bankers' Association's Diversity and Inclusion Business Council to determine policy actions to take forward.
Action 6: Supporting the dialogue
The Ethnic Moinority Business representation at the Business Finance Roundtable is through Professor Monder Ram of Birmingham University who runs the Enterprise Diversity Alliance, co-leads the Enterprise Research Centre diversity work and is a member of DWP's Ethnic Minority Employment Stakeholder Group. Alongside this sits the British Bankers' Association Diversity and Inclusion Business Council launched in 2014 which includes the leading Ethnic Minority Business experts and networks.
As actions have been progressing since 2013, no further Ministerial meetings have taken place.
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101051/answer/previousversion/25357", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-11T16:36:37.7326321Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Business: Loans"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on each of the six actions outlined in his Department's report, Ethnic Minority Businesses and Access to Finance, published in June 2013; what external meetings Ministers have had to discuss (a) those actions and (b) the issues raised in the report in each month since the report; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4128", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chuka Umunna"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Streatham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Chuka Umunna"}
], "uin" : "211994"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101052", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101052/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I refer the rt. hon. Member to my written answer of 28 October 2014, PQs 211433, 211434 and 211435.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4043", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kris Hopkins"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kris Hopkins"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T16:32:34.6426088Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Refuges"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding his Department provides to women's refuges.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/413", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hilary Benn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hilary Benn"} ], "uin" : "212030"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101053", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101053/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Question 210273 was answered on 18 December 2014.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101053/answer/previousversion/25354", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-07T17:21:11.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government: Written Questions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to answer Question 210273, tabled by the right hon. Member for Leeds Central on 13 October 2014.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/413", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hilary Benn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hilary Benn"} ], "uin" : "212000"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101054", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101054/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department does not collate or hold this information. The Office for National Statistics collects public sector employment statistics through its Quaterly Public Sector Employment Survey. A detailed breakdown of local government staff by local authority in England and Wales is available on the Local Government Assciation website. The information covers the period from 2006 to 2013 and can be found at:
http://www.local.gov.uk/local-government-intelligence/-/journal_content/56/10180/2991184/ARTICLE<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4043", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kris Hopkins"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kris Hopkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T16:53:08.4237004Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Staff"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) self-employed, (d) casual, (e) fixed-term or contract, (f) apprenticeship and (g) commission-only workers there were in each local authority in England and Wales in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/133", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Ruffley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury St Edmunds"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Ruffley"}
], "uin" : "211952"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101055", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101055/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:<\/p>
\u2013 a 2% cap in the Retail Price Index increase in the small business rates multiplier;<\/p>
\u2013 a retail discount of £1,000 for around 300,000 shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below £50,000;<\/p>
\u2013 a 12 month extension of small business rate relief doubling, benefitting over half a million businesses;<\/p>
\u2013 a 50 per cent discount for new occupants of long-term vacant shops, and;<\/p>
\u2013 allowing ratepayers to pay bills over 12 instalments.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department does not collect data on a constituency basis, but the Crawley constituency lies entirely within the Crawley Borough Council boundary. Table 1 (attached) shows, where available, the estimated number of properties that will benefit from each of the reliefs introduced or extended in 2014-15 within Crawley Borough Council, as well as the amount of relief awarded. Table 2 (attached) provides the same data, but for England as a whole.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4043", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kris Hopkins"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kris Hopkins"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101055/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "212013 Smith - Table 1 and 2.docx"} , "title" : "Table 1 and 2 - Business Rates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T17:34:35.8605363Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses: Non-domestic Rates"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many small firms and shops have benefited from reductions in business rates in (a) England and (b) Crawley constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"} ], "uin" : "212013"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101056", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101056/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This Government is committed to supporting people\u2019s aspirations to own their own home.<\/p>
<\/p>
Statistics for Help to Buy sales by constituency are published for Help to Buy: Equity Loan, but not for Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Help to Buy: NewBuy. These, together with statistics on the number of Help to Buy sales at local authority and postcode level are published on the Open Data Communities portal for Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Help to Buy: Equity Loan. This is available on the following link: http://opendatacommunities.org/def/concept/folders/themes/housing-market<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Statistics on Help to Buy: NewBuy sales at local authority level are published on the Department\u2019s website, available on the following link: http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/help-to-buy-equity-loan-and-newbuy-statistics<\/a><\/p> <\/p> The number of Help to Buy: Equity Loan sales in the Crawley constituency (to 30 September 2014) is 49. The table below breaks down the total Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee, Help to Buy: Equity Loan and Help to Buy: NewBuy sales in England and the Crawley local authority area:<\/p> <\/p>
| <\/td> | Mortgage Guarantee (to 30 June 2014)<\/p><\/td> | Equity Loan (to 30 September 2014)<\/p><\/td> | NewBuy (to 30 September 2014)<\/p><\/td> | TOTAL<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> England<\/p><\/td> 15,091<\/p><\/td> 33,911<\/p><\/td> 5,518<\/p><\/td> 54,520<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Crawley local authority<\/p><\/td> 38<\/p><\/td> 51<\/p><\/td> 5<\/p><\/td> 94<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> The Department for Communities and Local Government has not awarded a contract, seconded any staff, provided any office space or provided any financial or non-financial support to the Society Network Foundation.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "211936"}
, {"_value" : "211937"}
, {"_value" : "211939"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T17:15:48.0743422Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Society Network Foundation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the value was of contracts awarded by his Department to the Society Network Foundation since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4082", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lisa Nandy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wigan"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lisa Nandy"}
], "uin" : "211932"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101058", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101058/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.<\/p> <\/p> Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.<\/p> <\/p> Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "211934"}
, {"_value" : "211935"}
, {"_value" : "211938"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-17T11:39:50.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Big Society Network"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the value was of contracts awarded by his-her= Department to the Big Society Network since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4082", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lisa Nandy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wigan"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lisa Nandy"}
], "uin" : "211933"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101059", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101059/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.<\/p> <\/p> Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.<\/p> <\/p> Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "211933"}
, {"_value" : "211935"}
, {"_value" : "211938"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-17T11:39:50.367Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Big Society Network"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the value of (a) financial and (n) non-financial support provided by his-her= Department to the Big Society Network since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4082", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lisa Nandy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wigan"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lisa Nandy"}
], "uin" : "211934"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101060", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101060/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.<\/p> <\/p> Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.<\/p> <\/p> Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Williams"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Williams"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "211933"}
, {"_value" : "211934"}
, {"_value" : "211938"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-17T11:39:50.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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