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Simplifying Business Support: A consultation

We are consulting on proposals to simplify business support. The consultation closes on Friday 14 September 2007. Please respond via email to simplifyingbusinesssupport@dti.gov.uk

Please read our consultation page and download the pdf document at the bottom. Also, the supplementary information on the proposed business support as described in Annex A of the consultation document.

Successful businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. Across government about £2.5 billion a year is spent supporting businesses and entrepreneurs – helping them meet the challenges they face.

Business tells us that the plethora of schemes available is confusing and they don’t always know where to go for the help they need. At the same time, the number of schemes makes it difficult for government, at all levels, to measure the impact of support and ensure that duplication is not taking place. BERR’s Enterprise Directorate is leading the cross-government Business Support Simplification Programme to make it easier for business to access support and easier for government to ensure that support is value for money.

We are now consulting on our proposals and are seeking views on the business support government might fund in the future. Our consultation document sets out the role of Business Link as the primary route to publicly-funded business support and seeks views on how Business Link can be developed to play this role. Finally, it seeks views on how to avoid business support schemes proliferating again once they have been simplified.

We have also produced updates on what is happening around the regions and a newsletter.