To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment why social enterprises are excluded from applying to InvestNI’s Innovation Vouchers scheme; and whether she has plans to provide similar support for social enterprises.

Social enterprises are in fact eligible to apply to Invest NI’s Innovation Voucher programme and have been so since the introduction of the programme in June 2008.

As stated at http://www.investni.com/innovation-vouchers.html, the programme is open to small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 250 employees and either an annual turnover not exceeding €50million or balance sheet total not exceeding €43million. Medium-sized enterprises should also not have received assistance through Invest NI’s R&D Programme in the past 5 years. Companies in the transport and agricultural sectors are excluded in line with State Aid guidelines.

A number of social enterprises have been awarded Innovation Vouchers and benefitted from the expertise offered by Universities and Colleges throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Application to the Innovation Voucher programme is a competitive process and as with all applying enterprises, priority is given to those commercial and social enterprises that demonstrate most potential to further develop their business.