Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
Businesses receive duplicate or conflicting information from multiple government departments
Recommendation
To support industry, government must listen to the needs of businesses. The Department told us that while every government department engages with industry in some form, the Department for Business and Trade aspires to be a ‘front door’ for all businesses.10 The Department told us that the government wanted to be organised around businesses’ needs, and that integrating its international and domestic support for businesses was the clearest rationale for creating the Department of Business and Trade.11 However, there have been instances where businesses have received duplicate or conflicting information from the Department and other government departments.12 The Department said that its sector teams work closely at working level with other departments, for example with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on creative industries, but acknowledged the challenge identified in the NAO report that it could 6 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.3, 1.10, Figure 8 7 C&AG’s Report, para 2 8 The eight ‘growth-driving’ sectors are: advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services. 9 C&AG’s Report, paras 2, 6 10 Q 51 11 Q 42 12 C&AG’s Report, para 2.15 8 go further.13 The Department said that its Business Group covered all businesses, and that if a company approached the Department with a need, it could help resolve their issue.14
Government Response Summary
The government conducted a detailed consultation with business through the green paper Invest 2035, introduced a cross-government Account Management initiative, appointing dedicated account managers to lead strategic relationships with key businesses, and established a dedicated area to coordinate business engagement and insights.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 1.2 The Department for Business and Trade conducted a detailed consultation with business through the green paper Invest 2035: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy in November 2024, which covered how to build the most effective relationship with, and service for, business. The Secretary of State subsequently introduced a cross-government Account Management initiative, appointing dedicated account managers to lead strategic relationships with key businesses. Account managers coordinate across departments to ensure consistent, streamlined engagement with businesses through regular, unified communication. Ministers are also required to engage these businesses regularly to foster deep and meaningful dialogue and address the needs of business. 1.3 The department has established a dedicated area to coordinate business engagement and insights, enabling government to build a coherent understanding of business needs that enhances capability and promotes best practice across departments. It has engaged mission leads across government to instil the importance of engaging business to inform policymaking. The No.10 Partnership Unit and DBT non-executive directors are afforded regular opportunity to share their expertise with account managers and senior officials, and a Centre of Excellence function within the Account Management initiative facilitates the sharing of best practice. 1.4 The department published Backing your business: our plan for small and medium- sized businesses in July 2025, which outlined government’s support offer to business, including launching the Business Growth Service (BGS) which will simplify how businesses across the UK find government advice and support, including through a new streamlined digital offer – business.gov.uk. 1.5 In The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, published in June 2025, a further whole-of- government plan to support industry is set out, particularly focusing on the eight growth-driving sectors (IS-8) and the frontier industries within them. 1.6 Where there is appetite from industry and aligned to government’s wider programme of public sector reform, government will explore establishing dedicated Sector Offices to support the Industrial Strategy growth-driving sectors and co-deliver Sector Plans. This will build on successful models like the Office for Life Sciences, bringing together policy and delivery interests and expertise that currently sit across multiple departments, giving businesses an immediate first point of contact to engage, whatever their issue.