§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the corporate social responsibility requirements of her Department's procurement policy. [168670]
§ Ms HewittAs the sponsoring Department for business the DTI vision for corporate social responsibility is to see companies take account of their economic, social and environmental impact in the way they operate, maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides. Naturally, the Department is keen to reflect these practices. We are working closely with Defra to push forward the sustainable development in procurement agenda and through our Small Business Service and in partnership with the Office of Government Commerce, we seek to improve accessibility of Government contracts to small and medium enterprises, including those owned by ethnic minorities and women.