HC Deb 15 September 2004 vol 424 cc1596-7W
Michael Fabricant

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) whether he has commissioned reports on how customer relationship management technology could be adapted to support local authorities in their development of joined-up services in relation to business; [188133]

(2) if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in ensuring that single business accounts are in place by the start of April 2006. [188221]

Phil Hope

Through the Local e-Government programme, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has supported the development of customer relationship management (CRM) technology appropriate to local authorities' needs. That CRM technology is a fundamental building block for local e-government, helping to transform local authorities' service delivery, including transactions with business. Building on that within the Local e-Government programme, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also supported a National Project on Working With Business (WWB), to provide a framework, called the Single Business Account, for local authorities to improve specifically their provision of information and transactional services for local businesses. The project completed its work earlier this year.

The WWB Project's outputs include a "Single Business Account" toolkit, which draws on data collected via authorities' CRM technology, and a "Single Business Account" pilot. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently supporting the dissemination of these and the Project's other products to ensure that all local authorities in England are aware of them and make maximum use of them. In particular, the products should help to ensure that they meet the shared target to have e-enabled 100 per cent. of their priority services by end 2005 in ways that their customers will use.

Further details about the project are available from enquiries@workingwithbusiness.org.uk