HC Deb 03 July 1997 vol 297 cc405-6
8. Mr. Amess

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations she has received about measures to assist small businesses. [5211]

Mrs. Beckett

My hon. Friend the Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry has had a number of meetings with small firms representative organisations and my Department has received a large amount of correspondence from individual businesses covering a wide range of issues.

Mr. Amess

Following this morning's Budget breakfast meeting of small businesses in Leigh-on-Sea in my constituency, is the Secretary of State aware that many of those small businesses are deeply concerned about yesterday's changes to pension funds? They are also very worried about increased transport costs. Moreover, they are not convinced that any marginal decreases in corporation rates will offset the two increases in interest rates that have already been made and the probable further increase that has been dumped on the Governor of the Bank of England.

Mrs. Beckett

I can only say that I am surprised by the hon. Gentleman's claim that small businesses in his constituency are worried now. It was under the last Government that more businesses were going bankrupt than starting up; it was under the last Government that a series of burdens, such as the handling of sick pay and immigration, were dumped on small businesses; it was the last Government who ceased utterly to listen to small businesses. It was the present Government who yesterday took steps that will benefit 3.5 million small and medium-sized businesses, and that is what the hon. Gentleman cannot stand.

Ms Beverley Hughes

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the statutory right to be paid interest on late payments will be of enormous benefit to many small businesses? Is she yet in a position to give us some idea when the details of her proposal will be available?

Mrs. Beckett

We intend to publish a Green Paper before the House rises for the recess in order to take soundings on the best means of implementing the pledge. As I am sure my hon. Friend knows, more than 60 per cent. of small businesses have, in repeated surveys, put the case for such a move and we are anxious to press ahead as speedily as possible.

Mr. Redwood

In an age of more reviews than there are in the west end, I hope that there will at least be some certainty in the Department of Trade and Industry on competition policy. Will the right hon. Lady now tell the House whether she stands by all the remarks made by her junior Minister—the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs—at the recent Athens conference? Those remarks seemed to pre-empt a Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry into the travel trade, which is very important to small and big business. Is it true that the right hon. Lady has none the less removed her junior Minister from any consideration of that inquiry because he is speaking against her wishes and against Government policy? Business needs certainty. We do not want another review; we want disciplinary action from the President of the Board of Trade.

Mrs. Beckett

I am surprised that the right hon. Gentleman bothered to ask me that question. I am sure that he knows that I have already written to him explaining that he has been misinformed.

It is extraordinary that members of the Conservative party continue to protest about the notion of review and consultation. After all, it was their failure to consult and to listen to anyone else that put them on the Opposition rather than the Government Benches.

If I recall correctly, the right hon. Gentleman fought a leadership election on the slogan, "No change, no chance". Unless his party changes its policy, it has no chance.