Business Links (Hansard, 14 October 1996)

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many personal business advisers are currently employed by business links. [39855]

§ Mr. Page
It is estimated that there are currently around 530 personal business advisers working for business links.

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list the target group of growth businesses used by each business link, by number of employees; [39854]
(2) what proportion of business links use (a) 10 to 200 employees, (b) five to 200 employees and (c) some other definition as their target group. [39852]

§ Mr. Page
The definition of target groups is a matter for each business link. Information is not held centrally.

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of(a) personal business advisers, (b) export development councillors and (c) innovation and technology advisers at (i) each business link and (ii) in total have been appointed by business links without reference to his Department's personnel. [39853]

§ Mr. Page
Business links recruit personal business advisers, export development counsellors and innovation and technology counsellors against a background of criteria and guidance agreed by the national business link partners including my Department.
Each business link is an independent private sector organisation and decisions on whom it employs are a matter for it. However, where requested by the business link, officials of my Department. or the relevant regional government office, have occasionally been involved by participating in the selection process for personal business advisers and innovation and technology counsellors; and have regularly been involved in the selection process for export development counsellors.