§ 17. Mrs. HealTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what action her Department is taking to improve productivity in British companies. [40969]
§ Mr. BattleImproving productivity is at the heart of the Government's drive to improve the competitiveness of UK companies.
Responsibility for this lies largely with business itself. But Government are ready to work in partnership with business. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade set up six business-led Working Parties last year to make recommendations about how such a partnership can help to remedy these specific failings. Now she is co-hosting, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a series of seminars on the productivity gap over the Summer and Autumn.
The conclusions of this process will contribute to a White Paper on competitiveness to be published in the Autumn.