To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any support her Department is providing to (i) businesses; (ii) social enterprises; and (iii) charities, involved in reuse, repair, refurbishment and remanufacture.

Businesses engaged in reuse, repair, refurbishment and remanufacture play a vital role in the transition to a more circular economy, ensuring that we maximise the value of resources.

Between 1st April 2020 and 31st March 2025, my department, through Invest NI, offered £1.97 million of assistance to businesses and social enterprises operating in sectors associated with reuse, repair, refurbishment and remanufacture.

Invest NI also provides wider support to businesses through advice, assistance and/or guidance and through information on the nibusinessinfo website.

To date in 2026 InterTradeIreland has supported 61 projects related to the circular economy.

Through the Social Enterprise Work Programme, funded by my department and delivered by Social Enterprise NI, Repair and Share Foyle was named Social Enterprise of the Month in February 2026, during which it was spotlighted by Social Enterprise NI's social media efforts. East Belfast Mission also availed of this for April 2026. In the last financial year, Repair and Share Foyle was also one of the social enterprise organisations that availed of one-to-one mentoring support through the Work Programme to measure their impact.