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Who we are and what we do

The DTI drives our ambition of prosperity for all - by working to create the best environment for business success in the UK.

We help people and companies become more productive by promoting enterprise, innovation and creativity. We champion UK business at home and abroad. We invest heavily in world class science and technology. We protect the rights of working people and consumers. And we stand up for fair and open markets in the UK, Europe and the world.

How do we do it

Helping Business Succeed
Ensuring Fair Markets
Promoting Science and Innovation

Helping Business Succeed

We have many of the best businesses in the world here in Britain. But we want to raise more to the standard of the best. We're championing success at home and abroad.

Over the last year, we've

• Helped 1 million SMEs through ACAS, 310,000 companies through Business Links, 275,000 companies through UK Online, 28,000 companies through British Trade International and 800 companies through Smart;
  
• Published the Manufacturing Strategy, the first for thirty years, and launched the Manufacturing Advisory Service, helping 1,000 companies increase their added value by an average of £85,000;
  
• Extended the Small Firms Loan Guarantee (which has already guaranteed 83,000 loans worth £3 billion) to the retail, catering, motor vehicle repair and servicing sectors;
  
• Increased RDA funding, now double what it was when they were set up, and given them more flexibility about how they spend it;
  
• Levered in £330 million extra capital to small firms through the Regional Venture Capital Funds.

The challenge now is to

• Continue our transformation of business support - defining the new range of business support products by the Autumn;
  
• Implement our new Skills Strategy;
  
• Continue to deliver world class services through SBS and British Trade International;
  
• Continue to implement our manufacturing strategy;
  
• Promote and support enterprise by under-represented groups - women and minorities.
  

  

Ensuring Fair Markets

We want our markets to be open and dynamic - so that businesses are spurred on to greater success and everyone has a chance to contribute to and benefit from rising prosperity.

Over the last year, we have:

• Published the Company Law White Paper, identifying £160 million savings to business;
  
• Accepted the LPC's recommendation to increase the National Minimum Wage to £4.50 with effect from October 2003, rising to £4.85 in October 2004 (subject to the economic conditions);
  
• Introduced the Enterprise Act, putting our competition and insolvency regimes amongst the best in the world, according to independent observers;
  
• Introduced the Employment Act, so families can better balance their lives and workplaces can attain higher rates of performance;
  
• Published the Energy White Paper, putting us on track to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050. We've also secured EU energy liberalisation;
  
• Been commended by the Better Regulation Task Force for getting better at regulating. We now introduce domestic employment law on just two dates a year.

The challenge now is to:

• Lead the international debates on free and fair world trade and economic reform in Europe;
  
• Improve our corporate framework to strengthen investor confidence after the corporate failures in the States;
  
• Work with employers, employee representatives and unions to promote more effective use of people's talents in the workplace;
  
• Deliver a competitive, reliable low carbon energy system.
  

  

Promoting Science and Innovation

We want our economy to be high value, high skill and high tech. We're building up our scientific excellence and promoting links with industry, so products are invented in Britain, developed in Britain and made in Britain.

In the last year, we have:

• Invested £2 billion in science - increasing to £3 billion by 2006. This includes £1 billion investment in the research infrastructure;
  
• Seen 247 companies spun out of our universities, up from 70 on average before, so British ideas are turning into British products;
  
• Given a £400 million boost to business with the R&D tax credit - and are now consulting on how to make it even better;
  
• Launched a review of innovation policy, asking our best innovators what helps them and what holds them back;
  
• Presented the first Rosalind Franklin Award to Professor Susan Gibson, and published the Greenfield Report so more women start, stay and succeed in science;
  
• Set the market conditions so broadband prices have gone from being one of the highest in the G7 to one of the cheapest.

The challenge now is to:

• Get increasing returns from our increasing investment in science;
  
• Publish a clear action plan for innovation by Autumn 2003;
  
• Invest £400 million into priority research, such as stem cells and energy;
  
• Promote science across Government and society.
  

  

The DTI is changing…

We need to make sure we listen and respond better to all our stakeholders.
We're opening up the DTI and reaching out. We've now got 22 senior external Board members - from small firms as well as large; from trade unions and the voluntary sector. Some of our officials are working in the regions, so they are closer to industry. And all of our Senior Civil Servants spend a week every year in industry.

It's our responsibility in Government, as public policy makers, to balance the views of a wide range of stakeholders - business, employees, consumers, NGOs. Our relationships are based upon the national interest - and fairness, not favours.

How we are changing

DTI aims to be a flagship Whitehall department.  The world is changing and we must too.  This will mean major change, which will not be easy, and will take time.

We aim to be open to new ideas and ways of working, building on the knowledge and skills we already have.  We have a change programme in place which is all about being more customer focused, getting better at delivery, and making innovation a reality throughout the Department.

A start has been made and we want to make sure that best practice goes right across the Department.

Find out more about how DTI is changing from our Change and Knowledge Management Unit.