The government’s response to the Business Support Simplification consultation has been criticised and dubbed a mere ‘rebranding exercise’.
Shadow minister for enterprise, Mark Prisk MP, said the response, published today, was ‘not proper reform’.
Launched in March 2006, the Business Support Simplification Programme works with businesses to streamline the amount of publicly funded business support schemes.
The aim of the programme is to reduce the duplication of schemes, cutting them down from more than 3,000 to just 100 by 2010, making access to support easier for businesses.
Prisk said: “No attempt has been made to improve or analyse the quality of advice provided by many Business Links, about which the business community has repeatedly complained.”
However, England’s Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) praised the response, calling it an important step in making tailor-made advice easier for entrepreneurs to access.
Tom Riordan, the lead RDA chief executive, said: “The RDAs are working hard with government to simplify and streamline business support so that Business Link becomes the primary access channel and the portfolio of products is available to all types of businesses.”
He added that it is important to remember that business support should meet the needs of the customer rather than simply apply the policy.
“The more flexible the product, the more easily business support providers can focus on support to sectors which are key economic drivers in each region.
“Similarly, support can be tailored to the needs of the individual business as and when it needs to be,” he said.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
