15th Report - Small businesses and productivity
- HC No.
- HC 807
- Published
- 5 Dec 2018
- Items
- 0
- Government response
- Government response published 7 March 2019. Read the government's response ↗
Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Small businesses and productivity inquiry
Closed
Opened 31 Jan 2018
Closed 31 Jan 2018
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
The inquiry looked at what the Government can do to help small businesses improve their productivity, particularly through access to management training, the latest best business practices, and information on the availability of financial support. It also looked at the issue of late payments to small suppliers and examine the role of the new Small Business Commissioner in tackling deliberate poor treatment of these suppliers by major companies.
Where it stands
The inquiry is closed, opened 31 January 2018.
The committee has published 1 report, most recently 15th Report - Small businesses and productivity on 5 December 2018.
The government's response
Published 7 March 2019.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the Committee's report and sets out its responses to each recommendation, citing existing and new measures, with some matters still under consideration or review.
- On late payment, the government "agrees that we need to tackle the scourge of late payment". It will give careful consideration to the call for evidence responses and "intends to publish a response in due course".
- On online support, it will "explore options to improve our online hosting of support" for SMEs, LEPs and Growth Hubs, using evidence gathered from SMEs and business bodies.
- On post-Brexit local business support, it "intends to consult widely" on the design of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with final decisions following the consultation and the 2019 Spending Review.
- On construction retentions, the government is "reviewing the practice of cash retentions" and says its "work on policy options for retentions continues". On wider supply chain payment proposals it "notes" the recommendation, noting that from September 2019 failure to demonstrate prompt payment could prevent firms winning government contracts.
Reports
- 15th Report - Small businesses and productivity5 December 2018
Evidence
- 4 oral evidence sessionsLatest 9 October 2018
Recent activity
- Letter from Kelly Tolhurst to Chair regarding Government Response to the CfE - dated 19 June 201925 June 2019, Correspondence
- Letter from John Walden, Chairman of Holland & Barrett to Chair, regarding late payments - dated 12 April 201925 April 2019, Correspondence
- 17th Special Report - Small businesses and productivity: Government response to the Committee's Fifteenth Report of Session 2017-197 March 2019, Report published
Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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Correspondence
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