Plans to re-structure the government’s Small Business Service (SBS), turning it into a smaller and more focused policy unit, were revealed today.
The changes, announced this morning by the small business minister Margaret Hodge, will transform the organisation from an ‘Executive Agency’, delivering services on the ground, to an expert policy unit within the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Enterprise and Business Group.
As of April 2007 the new, streamlined SBS will focus on influencing policies to reflect the needs of small businesses.
Commenting on the transformation, Margaret Hodge said: “Businesses have told us that they want a stronger SBS with more clout in government. We’ve responded to that by focusing on influencing policy on the big issues that matter most to business such as enterprise, better regulation and business support.”
The new set-up will feature a core team of 50 personnel working on behalf of small companies to advise the government on how policies can be made more business-friendly.
An additional team of 50 will work on key projects, such as the Business Support Simplification Programme, which aims to re-organise and streamline the 3,000 publicly funded business support schemes.
The service aims to shape policies that encourage entrepreneurship in the UK, added Hodge.
“We have record numbers of businesses in the UK, 4.3m of them, so it is important to take stock of how we support business, build on this competitive edge and ensure the whole of government is developing policies for a more enterprising UK.”
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2006
