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Last updated: 27 March 2009
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) brings together functions from the former Department of Trade and Industry, including responsibilities for productivity, business relations, energy, competition and consumers, with the Better Regulation Executive [External website], previously part of the Cabinet Office.
Companies House became the first company registry in the world to launch a service enabling electronic filing of accounts, and has designed the system to enable efficiency gains elsewhere in government where other organisations need the information.
eAccounts enables customers to quickly and conveniently file business accounts online. Following the launch of eAccounts in November 2005, 11,062 sets of accounts were filed electronically up until March 2006. From April 2006 to March 2007 this increased to 78,799 bringing this figure to 89,861 over two years.
Better service for our customers and a burden reduction for business have followed a major improvement in Companies House’s performance through eAccounts. This provides consistent examination and rejection rules to improve the quality of data capture; it has significantly reduced rejection rates below those of paper account filings and lowered processing costs from £0.35 for paper accounts to just £0.004 for electronically–filed accounts. Cost savings are reflected in reduced charges to customers.
Historically, annual returns have been filed on paper, but electronic filing is now widely recognised as the quickest, easiest and most secure way to file annual returns, providing companies with a significant reduction in their administrative burden. The number of companies submitting their annual return of information on company details electronically has grown from 688,525 (in 2004/05) to just over 1 million (1,009,143), with customer satisfaction approaching 90%.
Electronic returns are made easier and quicker for companies, with onscreen forms pre–populated with the information Companies House already holds. Automated checking procedures minimise errors and omissions, and reduce the chances of rejection. Electronic returns save time and effort – they are half the price of paper returns, with additional savings in postage.
Innovation in Intellectual Property
The UK Intellectual Property Office is e–enabling its core processes to provide quicker and easier access to its registration services. 40% of all UK trademark applications are now made online with credit card payments handled by the Government Gateway. In June 2007 a service to allow customers to file patents over the web was launched and 10% of patent applications are now received electronically. Internally the Office has deployed an electronic case–file management system for patent applications which, by the end of 2007, will allow customers to inspect their applications online.
Fewer printers save the environment and save money
BERR has radically reduced the number of printers it uses – 900 personal printers were recovered, and the replacement printers have saved over £200,000 annually in consumables. BERR has also moved from only seven staff sharing a printer to 24 staff sharing a printer. Benefits identified include better quality, more energy efficient, higher speed printers with greater functionality printing services shared by more staff.
Rationalising London property saves BERR £25m annually
From 2004–2006, BERR’s London staff adopted a standardised desk space with a ratio of eight desks to ten staff. This, combined with staff reductions and moves out of London, has allowed BERR to reduce from eight London buildings to two, with a saving of £25m per annum.
Technology played a key part, as everyone needed access to their computer systems from anywhere on the estate, and new telephone systems were required to allow staff to use their allocated number wherever they sat. Electronic records helped by allowing a drastic reduction in filing cabinet space.
Over 2,500 staff adopted new ways of working and more efficient use of space has now become the norm. BERR’s new approach has meant lower cost and faster moves when needed.
BlackBerry phones on the run
BERR has pushed the limits of personal digital assistant (PDA) technology by being the first to develop a system based on BlackBerry technology that meets stringent government security standards for ‘RESTRICTED’ material information, enabling BlackBerry phones to be used by policymakers without fear of eavesdropping. Nearly 400 BlackBerry phones have now been deployed.
BERR staff can work more flexibly at a cost of about 20% less than using mobile PCs.
UK Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) supports UK businesses entering new overseas markets. It provides access to International Trade Advisers in the UK and staff in over 100 Embassies and Consulates worldwide, offering a range of services including pre–visit research and support for market visits. Customers are able to pay online for chargeable services using a credit/debit card. Over 1400 orders were placed in the first half of 2007/8 with a value of £1m for these transactions.
UK Trade & Investment’s understanding of business needs and improved service delivery is enabled by a new Customer Relationship Management system used to help UK businesses to export overseas and foreign businesses to invest in the UK. The system is used by 1,700 staff in the UK and overseas.