§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the role of the Small Business Service. [115862]
§ Ms HewittThe Small Business Service, which will come into being on 3 April 2000, will provide a strong voice for small business at the heart of Government, improve the quality and coherence of support for small businesses and help small firms on regulation.
The SBS will deliver a number of services nationally and establish a network of franchises to deliver high quality business support for small firms at a local level. David Irwin, the Chief Executive will have the right to be consulted on all new Government legislation presented to Parliament that is likely to affect small businesses. This includes monitoring and commenting on regulatory impact assessments from the perspective of small businesses.