§ Mr. HansonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on her dialogue with business in preparation for the Competitiveness White Paper. [24652]
§ Mrs. BeckettThis Government recognise that business itself is often best placed to advise on what it needs to prosper. That is why I am committed to forging a strong partnership with business to raise national prosperity.
The White Paper on Competitiveness, to be published later this year, will be a key element of that process, not least because, for the first time, it will be a White Paper drawn up in partnership and in consultation with business. The White Paper will set out the Government's policy towards business for the long term—based on promoting strong markets, modern companies and an enterprising nation.
The work of preparing for the White Paper is being carried forward through six business-led groups. They are looking respectively at how Government and business can work together to improve investment performance, encourage innovation, use best practice, adapt to the Information Age, and ensure that EU policies best serve our competitiveness needs.
The Working Parties comprise around ninety people. Their membership reflects the different strands and diversity of business in Britain today: people drawn from small business as well as large; people from different sectors, backgrounds and experience; people who have in the past had few opportunities to influence policy development; but above all people who can contribute practical ideas.
466WI have placed details of the membership of the Competitiveness Working Parities in the House of Commons Library.