§ Mr. PollardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce an employer's charter to assist small businesses to deal with the complexities of employment legislation; and if he will make a statement. [123867]
§ Ms HewittThe Small Business Service has been set up, among other things, to help to make regulatory information, including employment legislation, more comprehensible and accessible to small firms. The SBS is looking at a number of ways in which this might be done including the possibilities presented by information technology. For example, they are piloting a new service on the internet called Small Business Start-Up Service (www.sbssonline.org/sbss/) which guides people wanting to start a business to relevant information including employees' rights. They have also recently published a guide to the regulatory requirements relating to employing staff which can also be accessed on the internet (www.dti.gov.uk/COMMS/employ/index.htm). The Department provides a wide range of information and guidance on the requirements of employment law,118W including through its website (www.dti.gov.uk/er), and is currently developing further internet and interactive services. These will be made available by a number of routes, including through the SBS general advice and information service (www.businessadviceonline.org).
§ Mr. PollardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to exempt small businesses from(a) new and (b) existing regulations; and if he will make a statement. [123869]
§ Ms HewittThe Government are always ready to consider exemptions as a policy option in relation to or existing regulations, but each case would need to be carefully looked at on its merits.
§ Mr. PollardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken by the Small Business Service to reduce the administrative burden on small businesses. [123868]
§ Ms HewittThe Chief Executive of the Small Business Service (SBS) is a member of the Panel for Regulatory Accountability which is reviewing new and existing regulations in Government Departments.
The SBS has a particular duty on behalf of small businesses to examine regulatory proposals put forward by Government Departments to ensure that they do not impose an unnecessary or disproportionate burden on the small businesses community, that compliance is made easier through the provision of comprehensible and accessible guidance, and that the enforcement regime is appropriate.
The SBS will also undertake research to establish a Regulation Index showing the cumulative burden of regulation on small businesses and to inform priorities for simplifying existing regulations.
§ Mr. PollardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in enabling(a) consumers and (b) small businesses to have access to their credit reference files. [123870]
§ Dr. HowellsThe rights of individuals and sole traders to access financial information held by credit reference agencies have now been consolidated under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Consumer Credit Act 1974 continues to contain rights to challenge the accuracy of such information. The Data Protection Commissioner is now responsible for supervising these rights. Partnerships and other unincorporated bodies have rights to this information under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Director General of Fair Trading supervises their rights.
We have also simplified the statement of rights on correcting wrong information which the agencies must provide in the Consumer Credit (Credit Reference Agency) Regulations 2000.
§ Mr. HesfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures the Government are taking to ensure that Britain provides an environment in which SMEs can flourish. [124406]
§ Ms HewittThe Government have set in place a policy framework, which is delivering macro-economic stability and helping to promote long-term investment and productivity; public finances are under control; inflation is historically low and expected to remain close to target.
119WFollowing Budget 2000, the business climate has never been better. Since 1997, the Government have cut the average corporation tax bill for small companies by nearly 25 per cent. Britain now has its lowest ever corporation rates for small companies and—with the 10p starting rate from April—the lowest starting rate in the EU.
We are also looking further to improve the infrastructure and ensure that small firms get the support they need. That is why we established the Small Business Service (SBS)—a key part of our strategy to create an entrepreneurial Britain. The SBS will act as a strong voice for small businesses at the heart of Government; help small firms meet the demands of regulation; and achieve a step change in the quality and consistency of advice and information available to small and medium-sized enterprises.
§ Mr. PollardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to improve(a) access to and (b) the quality of advice services for small businesses. [124684]
§ Ms HewittThe Small Business Service, which became an executive agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000, is undertaking two significant activities aimed at improving access to, and quality of, advice services for small business.
The first is to provide an internet enabled network of knowledge and information for use by small businesses, business advisers and the local Business Link network.
The second activity is a radical redevelopment of the Business Link network including refocusing the remit of the Business Links so that they concentrate on delivering high quality solutions to their customers' needs; widening the customer base of the local network to include those who are at a disadvantage, for whatever reason, in starting up or running a business; and a rationalisation from 81 to 45 Business Links. Only organisations which can meet rigorous assessment criteria and successfully complete business plans will be awarded contracts from April 2001.