§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the estimates he has made since 1 July 1992 of the number of first-stop shops, one-stop shops or business links he wished to see established with the dates on which his estimates changed; and if he will give reasons for the changes in the estimates.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 19 January 1994]: When I announced in July 1992 our intention to run a competition for pilot one-stop shops, I said that in the longer term I wished to see a network of about 200 such shops established across England. My estimate has not changed since then. I expect a national network of over 200 business links to be established over the next two to three years.
Already, approval in principle has been given to 16 business link plans which will lead eventually to the establishment of 54 business link outlets. Four of these outlets are already open, in Birmingham, Congleton, Leicester and Macclesfield. Plans are at an advanced stage of preparation in many other areas and the national assessment panel, which I have appointed to advise me on the quality of proposals, will shortly consider plans from a further five areas involving 18 business link outlets.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the number of facilities equivalent to first-stop shops, one-stop shops or business links currently provided in Germany.
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§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 19 January 1994]: In Germany there is no equivalent to the business link programme.
Business support activities are carried out by a number of different agencies including the Federal Government, the individual landers and municipalities. Policy for smaller firms in relation to education and training is the responsibility of the 83 chambers of industry and commerce—which have public law status—and the 57 chambers of handwerk. The chambers are responsible for vocational training and organise skill centres and examinations under statutory federal training regulations. The landers are responsible for start-up, investment promotion, company consultancy and apprenticeships.
In England our intention is that the business link will provide one place for companies to obtain access to the full range of available business support services.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the budget provided for the establishing of first-stop shops, one-stop shops or business links in each year for 1992 to 1995; how much has actually been spent; and what proportion this is of the sum allocated.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 19 January 1994]: There was no DTI expenditure on the business link programme in the financial year 1992–93. The forecast for DTI expenditure on the programme in the financial year 1993–94 is £2.9 million, £496,000 of which has now been spent. This is 14.6 per cent. of the original 1993–94 budget of £3.4 million. In 1994–95 the budget is £17.1 million.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to accelerate the establishing of more first-stop shops, one-stop shops or business links.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 19 January 1994]: Since the initial one-stop shop competition for pilots in March 1993, we have moved to create a national network through a rolling programme of assessment panels which are scheduled on a quarterly basis: November 1993, February 1994, June 1994 and November 1994. My Department is working closely with local partnerships, to help them put proposals together and to implement them.
I am keen to complete the national network as soon as possible, but we must put quality first. In addition, we have to recognise that it takes time to achieve such a radical step change in the provision of business support services.