§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Government schemes, and how much state funding, have assisted business start-ups in 2001 to 2003(a) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (b) in Teesside and (c) in the United Kingdom. [141863]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvice and support to business startups are provided by a range of organisations in the region. This includes DTI's Small Business Service and Business Link Organisations (and the Small Firms Loan Guarantee), ONE NorthEast (the regional development agency), local authorities, universities, community organisations, and Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise. Support for investment projects can be accessed by start-up businesses through DTI's Regional Selective Assistance (administered by ONE NorthEast—the regional development agency) and the Small Business Service's Enterprise Grant. Training and skills support is provided through Business Link Organisations and Local Learning and Skills Councils. Funding comes from a range of sources including central Government, European Structural Funds, and local authorities. It is not possible to identify easily the value of assistance accessed by start-up businesses within the overall totals of advice and support.
The available statistics for the value of assistance to start-up businesses in the areas requested are as set out.
The value of Business Link Organisation for Tees Valley's "Start Right in Business" scheme is shown in the following table. This is the closest available match to the geographic analysis requested. There is no national equivalent.
Assistance to start-up businesses Period Tees Valley Middlesbrough Redcar and Cleveland
2001 to date 388,188 113,652 72,324 The Small Business Service's Enterprise Grants (EG) for small and medium sized enterprises, including startup business give support to capital investment for manufacturing and service to manufacturing companies. The following table shows the values of assistance for all businesses. While a number are known to be start-ups specific information for start-up businesses is not readily available.
443W
Value of assistance for all businesses Tees Valley Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
2001 to date 1,635,260 114,250 European Structural Funds are available through the North East of England Objective 2 Programme 2000–06.
Specific measures within the programme are designed to assist business start-ups.
1.Measure 1.1—Growing New Businesses and Marrying Entrepreneurs with Ideas. Is funded regionally as follows:
Funding £million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 26.904 Public Sector Funds (includes other Government funding) 28.783 Private Sector Funding 1.479 The target number of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to be assisted is 9,973. From 2001 to date grant offered regionally totals £16.476 million and 1,628 SMEs have been assisted, of which 184 (Grant Value £3.968 million) are in Teesside.
2. Measure 1.2—Providing Access to Finance for Entrepreneurs. Is funded regionally as follows:
Funding £million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 14.121 Public Sector Funds (includes other Government funding) 8.796 Private Sector Funding 8.553 The target number of SMEs to be assisted is 2,065.
From 2001 to date grant offered regionally totals £1.616 million and 554 SMEs have been assisted, of which 32 are in Teesside.
European Social Fund (ESF) funding is also available to assist with the training needs of beneficiaries associated with new SMEs.
3. Measure 1.4—Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Skills. Is funded regionally as follows:
Funding £million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 9.866 Public Sector Funds (includes other Government funding) 9.866 Private Sector Funding 2.192 From 2001 to date offers worth £1.941 million have been made regionally, with 4,355 people trained, of which 1,611 (Grant Value £0.650 million) are in Teesside.
Arts Council England North East operates the Cultural Business Venture, providing support to the cultural sector for business expansions including start-ups. Additional funding is provided by ONE NorthEast and European Structural Funds Objective 2 programme. The following figures show the value of assistance offered. There is no national equivalent.
444W
Assistance to start-up businesses £million Period 2001 to date Tees Valley 388,188 Middlesbrough 113,652 Redcar and Cleveland 72,324