§ Ms LawrenceTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to improve joint working between his departments. [90735]
§ Dawn PrimaroloA number of Government departments—not only ones reporting to the Chancellor of the Exchequer—will be working on a pilot project to test different ways in which Government departments can work together more closely. The focus for this pilot will be the fashion industry in London. The aim of the pilot is to improve services to business through joint working (eg combined visits and trader education) to help traders understand what they need to do to meet legislative requirements. The pilot will also be looking to identify ways of raising compliance and reducing fraud and creating a level playing field for business so that legitimate business can thrive.