§ Mr. MatesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what conclusions have been drawn from the Government's consultation on simplification of business support, announced in the third competitiveness White Paper. [40512]
The Deputy Prime MinisterMy Department is today publishing the conclusions of the cross-government review on simplification of business support. The new arrangements mark a significant development in the partnership between government and business. We are bringing together support form across government into more coherent, simplified programmes. We are also committed to moving away from centrally designed and administered support schemes, which business has told us can be too complex and distant from their own needs, and to making government-funded support as customer focused as possible.
The new challenge funds—local and sectoral—will be set up to support the best proposals for the most effective and customer focused business partnerships. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is today announcing further details of these challenges. Wherever possible these partnerships will take over the design and delivery of business support. Services that are best administered centrally, such as export market information, will be simplified to make them more accessible and responsive to business needs.
By giving business more of a say in how support services are provided, the Government aim to meet their needs more fully and to ensure the best value for money for the taxpayer. Copies of the conclusions, "Helping businesses to win: the conclusions of the consultation", have been placed in the Library of the House.