New Cooperatives Legislation Outlined For The UK

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

25 January 2012

The UK is to consolidate its legislation on co-operatives and mutuals into a single statute, the Prime Minister has said.

Making the announcement, David Cameron said the Co-operatives Bill will cut red tape and help to build a fairer economy, ensuring that even more co-operative members can share in the benefits of enterprise. According to Number 10, the legislation will bring together more than a dozen outdated pieces of legislation. It will be put before parliament before the next election, due in 2015.

Cameron said: “We know that breaking monopolies, encouraging choice, opening up new forms of enterprise is not just right for business but the best way of improving public services too. But right now there are too many barriers in the way… so today I can announce they will all be brought together and simplified in a new Co-Operatives Bill that will be put before Parliament.”

Welcoming the announcement, Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, added: “The new act is intended to make it as easy and natural to form a co-operative as any other form of business. We are delighted to see the Coalition taking action to put co-operative businesses on an equal footing and create a diverse economy. Co-operatives, as well as being widely recognised for their ethical business practices, are a vital part of the British economy, employing more than 235,000 people, turning over more than GBP33bn (USD51bn) each year and generating a significant amount of wealth for the country.”

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