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Government Response to Ethnic Minority Business Task Force November 2009

The Government's response to the Ethnic Minority Business Task ForcePDF document (930KB)

 

This document sets out the Government’s response to the recommendations made by the Ethnic Minority Business Task Force (EMBTF) in ‘The Economic Case for Investment in Ethnic Minority Business: Final Report’, which was issued on 16th July 2009.

In June 2007, the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, Margaret Hodge, established the EMBTF. The Task Force was established for a two year period, as a strategic influencing body to inform government policy and progress of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) business agenda, with a view to increasing ethnic minority participation in enterprise, particularly amongst under-represented groups.

The EMBTF was initially chaired by Adeeba Malik MBE (Deputy Chief Executive, QED-UK) and Tom Riordan (CEO Yorkshire Forward), with James Caan (CEO, Hamilton Bradshaw) replacing Adeeba Malik in January 2009 when she stepped down due to work pressure. The thirteen EMBTF members comprised a variety of private and public sector business expertise.

With a focus on access to finance, procurement and business support, the key objectives of the EMBTF were:

  • To serve as a strategic influencing body;
  • To influence the supplier diversity of public and private sector procurement;
  • To influence practice of financial and other support institutions in relation to access to finance for ethnic minority businesses.

The EMBTF looked in detail at the causes impacting on the under-representation and growth potential of BAME business. It took evidence from a wide range of stakeholders and commissioned a number of research reports to further enhance the understanding of academic work on BAME enterprise.

The Government is encouraged by the open and consultative manner in which the EMBTF drafted its report and by its engagement with the key individuals, organisations and stakeholders.

The Government warmly welcomes the EMBTF report and thanks the Task Force for its work over the past two years. The report provides a valuable opportunity to reconsider the strategic approach and policy interventions related to BAME business issues. It also provides the Government with an opportunity to fully consider those activities and structures currently in place to promote BAME business in the UK. All of the recommendations have been given serious and thorough consideration; and whilst Government is not in a position to take forward all of the recommendations suggested by the EMBTF, it is committed to continuing efforts to improve policy development and delivery in the four key areas identified – evidence, business support, access to finance and procurement.

 

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