Better regulation - Business support
Business Support Simplification Programme (BSSP)
Initial Government response to the Consultation on Simplifying Business Support
The initial government response to the consultation on Simplifying Business Support has been published and can be found on the BERR website at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/bbf/small-business/streamlining-government/bssp/page41661.html
The consultation sought views on the scope and content of publicly-funded business support services. It proposed Business Link as the primary access channel to such support and sought views on how to avoid business support schemes proliferating once they have been simplified.
For your information, the consultation document can be found at: www.berr.gov.uk/consultations/page40113.html
Background to BSSP
This cross-Government initiative, coordinated by DBERR, aims to reduce the number of publicly-funded business support programmes from around 3000 to no more than 100 by 2010. It was announced in the 2006 Budget. Defra is committed to the Programme.
The BSSP vision is for easy-to-access, high impact, support for business. Such support must be targeted where it will have greatest impact, be efficiently delivered to get best value for money, and be fit for purpose so that it meets national, regional and local challenges in a changing global economy.
Definition of business support
The definition of “business support” covers:
- direct support through grants and subsidies and specific schemes.
- indirect support, for example through workforce development,
- advice (and brokerage to advice) on issues like regulation, employment and business processes.
BSSP Activity across Government and within Defra
The BSSP has been tackled in a two-fold approach: (i) a review of existing schemes to determine if they should continue, be merged or closed; and (ii) the development of new product and service frameworks around several themes. Defra is leading on the Environment framework, known internally as the Future Environmental Support for Business (FESB) project. Other frameworks, led by other departments, cover Innovation, Economic Inclusion, Enterprise, Finance, Skills, Business Collaboration, Regulation and Globalisation.
Timescale
By the end of 2007, there will be agreement on which future business support products and services will be provided in the future. There will be followed by arrangements to oversee the transition process and consider access, delivery, marketing and branding issues.
For further information please contact Julie Bott 020 7270 1996
Page last modified: 4 January 2008