§ Mr. LammyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on the review of her Department. [17451]
§ Ms HewittI am announcing today a series of reforms to the structure and operation of my Department to improve the way it serves business, employees and consumers. The DTI has a vital part to play in helping to drive up UK competitiveness and productivity (including resource as well as labour productivity) and I want it to fulfil that role as effectively as possible.
The changes will clarify my Department's role and strategy to focus sharply on customer needs. They will also simplify the support the Department provides for business and make that support easier to identify and to access. The Department's strategic priorities—reflected in its new structure—will be to promote innovation, spur enterprise and build competitive frameworks, including support for workplace standards and partnership.
The changes will also include the creation of a new strategy board and other boards involving Ministers, senior officials and non-executive directors; significantly greater involvement of business-people and others in the Department's strategy development and greater interchange between the Department and the private and social enterprise sectors. We will maintain an emphasis on better regulation, particularly for small businesses; deliver more consistent, streamlined advice for consumers; and have clearer roles for the Department's work in the English regions.