Peter Holbrook, the chief executive of the national body for social enterprise, Social Enterprise UK, has responded positively to the proposal by the new cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, for a kitemark to vouch for the effectiveness of social policy schemes.

Heywood said a kitemark to vouch for the effectiveness of social policy schemes such as rehabilitating prisoners or drug addicts could encourage third party investors to back proven social enterprise schemes.

Holbrook said: “This is exactly the sort of thinking we need to make sure that social policy innovations reach the people who need them most.

"A lot of work goes into making sure the best health and medical discoveries reach the patient - it's high time we had a social equivalent. Social policy must not be the poor relation when our future depends on it.

“Potential investors need to be able to easily identify organisations that have developed a successful model and are investment ready.

"Currently there are social enterprises and charities tackling social issues and delivering excellent results, but no simple mechanism that allows them to access finance to grow or replicate their work in other areas. If developed successfully this could inject finance into a cash-strapped civil society.

“We hope the Cabinet Office will use the experience of existing infrastructure organisations to develop and implement what is a very good idea.

"The networks are already in place and it could help keep the roll out costs low. It is obviously still early days, but we would be keen to help the government further this idea.”

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