Small Businesses (Hansard, 5 May 2004)

§ Mr. Hendrick
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Preston since 1997. [169679]

§ Nigel Griffiths
The Business Link Operator for North and West Lancashire has provided assistance to 3,523 enterprises in the Preston Constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service (SBS) was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the Small Business Service does not have access to this data.
1,024 of the 3,523 were pre-starts up enterprises, and in addition have provided assistance regarding Investors in people, specialist Business Advice, International, and E-Commerce.
Seventeen companies have received and accepted offers of grant under the Research and Development Scheme (R & D) since 1997 to the value of £2,939,146.

§ Mr. Neil Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to help small businesses in Wigan since 1997. [169316]

§ Nigel Griffiths
The Business Link Operator for North Manchester has provided assistance to 1,981 enterprises in the Wigan constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service (SBS) was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide business support to small and medium-sized enterprises from April. 2001. Before this date Government support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the Small Business Service does not have access to this data.
The type of assistance provided by the Business Link Operator to the 1,981 enterprises include business finance, environmental, workforce development, international, innovation technology and design, micro support, E-services, high growth, supply chain, and other account management assistance.
Ten companies have received and accepted offers of grant under the Research and Development Scheme (R&D) since 1997 to the value of £530,540.
Sixteen companies haw, received and accepted offers of grant under the Enterprise Grant Scheme since 1997 to the value of £689,500. The Enterprise Grant Scheme closed from the beginning of April 2004.