§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the support programmes for small businesses that(a) her Department and (b) its agencies have financed, including Common Agricultural Policy payments in each of the last five years; how much money was allocated for each scheme in each year; how much money has gone unclaimed under each scheme; and how many small businesses have benefited from each scheme. [161255]
§ Alun MichaelInformation is available in the form requested only at disproportionate cost, but I hope the following will be helpful.
The Cross-Cutting Review of Government Services for Small Business, published by the Small Business Service in December 2002, recorded that Defra and its agencies provided support to small businesses through over 120 schemes offering:
- Grants (including EU production subsidies to agriculture)
- Advice
- In-kind support
The review estimated a total cost for these schemes of £3,120million per year, the majority of which comprised production subsidies paid out under Pillar 1 of the Common Agricultural Policy. Some information about the range of schemes provided can be found in the Departmental Estimates for the year ending 31 March 2003, which are available in the Libraries of the House.
840WAlthough the 2002 review did not record how many businesses had benefited from the schemes operated, it recorded that Defra has significant contact with approximately 200,000 small and medium sized enterprises a year.
A review of rural funding schemes was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 November 2003, and is now in progress.