HC Deb 14 April 2003 vol 403 cc42-3W
The Parlliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Nigel Griffiths)

The Government published in December a new policy framework for small business—"Small Business and Government—the Way Forward". This focuses on seven core themes. These will be implemented across government. It also sets out a leadership role for the Small Business Service (SBS) as a centre of expertise, an innovator and an engine for change within government.

I have set the following targets for the year 2003–04:

BUILDING AN ENTERPRISE CULTURE Build a comprehensive, cross-government strategy to support an enterprise culture by January 2004.

ENCOURAGING A MORE DYNAMIC START UP MARKET Run Enterprise Shows in at least five regions by January 2004 to help people who are keen to start a business

BUILDING THE CAPABILITY FOR SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH Hard research of factors which determine a small business's capability to grow and publish a "capabilities for growth" cross-government strategy.

IMPROVING ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS Implement the new grant for research and development—the successor to SMART Support 700 projects under the new scheme Pilot a new grant for "innovation capability Improve the availability of small business finance, including the roll out of the Early Growth Funding programme and all the Regional Venture Capital Funds.

ENCOURAGING MORE ENTERPRISE IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS Reduce the gap between VAT registrations in the 20 per cent. most deprived local authority wards and the 20 per cent. least deprived wards by 1 per cent. Launch new Phoenix Development Fund Building-on-the-Best projects by December 2003.

IMPROVING SMALL BUSINESSES' EXPERIENCE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES Roll out the DTI's new business support portfolio using Business Link as a face-to-face, telephone and web site service, as the main means by which businesses access DTI's products and services. Increase the market penetration of Business Link by 6 to 22 per cent. and the customer satisfaction rate by 5 to 87 per cent. Evaluate the three RDA-led business support pilots in the North West, West Midlands and East Midlands, providing an initial comparison of participating and non-participating regions, by January 2004.

DEVELOPING BETTER REGULATION AND POLICY Publish and promote the No-Nonsense Guide to Government rules and regulations for setting up your business in print and via the web by April 2003. Draw up an action plan with other departments to deliver significant improvements in government's performance in relation to the regulatory environment for small business for publication by November 2003.

ORGANISATION AND PEOPLE Work towards securing formal Investors in People recognition by June 2004. Further detail about the SBS's work programme, targets and priorities for 2003–04 will be set out in its business plan which will be published shortly. I will place copies of the plan, when available, in the House of Commons Library. Electronic versions will be available on the SBS website http://www.sbs.gov.uk/.