Other News
Welcome to the News section of the website. This section of the site has been designed to provide you with details of the latest information and happenings in public sector procurement.
Funding to encourage business innovation Sector: Central Government UK - Five projects will share in £2 million worth of grants to develop groundbreaking knowledge transfer projects. |
Support for small businesses Sector: Central Government UK - First Minister Alex Salmond visited a small business in Edinburgh to meet with staff and hear how the Small Business Bonus Scheme has benefitted the business. |
Procurement drive for small businesses Sector: Central Government |
Procurement drive for small businesses Sector: Central Government |
Small businesses to get free access to public sector contracts Sector: Central Government |
Brand new enterprise says 'y.e.s.' to sustainable small businesses Sector: Central Government |
New appointment to push through improved business support to firms Sector: Local Government |
Tax return gets a new look for Spring |
Common Commencement Date |
New code to cut more red tape |
Business rates
cut will 'aid economic growth' |
New environmental permits will
cut red tape, save money, and put a spotlight on high risk businesses |
Rates Relief save small businesses pounds |
Changes to company law: help on the high street
for small business |
Builders onsite for £5 million innovation
centre |
Last chance for stars of UK enterprise
to shine |
Design London receives funding
from LDA to help London businesses |
Good news for West Midlands businesses
as John Denham launches white paper to boost innovation |
Building an innovation nation:
unlocking UK talent, raising productivity, boosting our economy |
FSB welcomes a Budget speech
with no nasty surprises |
Chancellor sets 30% SME target for procurement |
Enterprise strategy making UK the best for business
growth |
Launch of £80 million South West Regional
Infrastructure Fund |
Small business survey shows steady progress Sector: Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform The most representative survey of the UK small business sector has revealed that nearly half of those questioned were producing new products and services, the highest level since the survey began in 2003. |
£400 million for low-carbon Britain - Defra announces 2008/09 budget settlement Sector: Central Government UK - Setting out details of Defra's 2008/09 budget settlement, Hilary Benn has announced an increase in funding for clean energy technologies, investments and enterprises to over £400 million over the next three years. |
Council cash set to smarten-up Acton Sector: Local Government |
Haringey plans for new industrial lease of life UK - A consultation has been launched on plans to revitalise a former thriving industrial area around the borders of Enfield and Haringey. |
£2 million healthcare project to benefit the economy Sector: Health UK - Economy Minister Nigel Dodds today announced the creation of a £2million research and development facility at Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry. |
Council cash set to smarten-up Acton UK - Acton is in line for a £2million package of investment to smarten-up the town thanks to plans unveiled by Ealing Council. |
Changes to encourage more investment in disadvantaged communities announced Sector: Local Government |
Transforming towns and city centres
|
Minister comments on business research figures
|
Small businesses handed CGT reprieve Sector: What the papers say UK - Up to 80,000 small business owners
have been handed a reprieve from controversial reforms to capital
gains tax rules that would otherwise have cost them £200m a
year in extra charges. |
Timms pledges to help SMEs win 2012 work Sector: Tracker UK - Construction minister
Stephen Timms will tell small businesses
how they can benefit from the Olympic Games. |
Small businesses urged to get free advice Sector: Tracker UK - Many small businesses may be paying for employment law advice which they could be getting for free, new Government research has revealed. |
PM holds discussions on enterprise and small businesses Sector: Central Government UK - Gordon Brown has held a roundtable discussion with entrepreneurs and small business owners to learn more about enterprise culture in Britain and canvass views on the development of the Government's renewed enterprise framework. [full story] |
Single point of enquiry for business Sector: Central Government UK - The Scottish Government has introduced a new service to give advice on procurement issues for suppliers to the public sector in Scotland. [full story] |
Wicks calls for a 'go' green' new year resolution Sector: Central Government UK - £25 million in grants issued for micro wind turbines and
solar panels. |
Support for small businesses Sector: Scotland UK - Innovative business projects have accepted offers worth more than £4.2 million from the Scottish Government in the first six months of the new SMART: SCOTLAND research and development grant scheme. |
| Darling hints he may compromise over proposed changes to
capital gains tax
Sector: What the papers say UK - Alistair Darling signalled that he might compromise – a little – on changes to capital gains tax announced in his pre-Budget report last month. [full story] |
Chancellor launches health and safety review Sector: Tracker UK - The Chancellor Alistair Darling launched a major review of business health and safety laws. [full story] |
Hutton gives renewed support to British manufacturing Sector: Tracker UK - Business Secretary John Hutton called on UK manufacturers to respond positively to new opportunities created by emerging markets in the green economy, such as renewable energy and other low-carbon technology. [full story] |
Renfrewshire welcomes Scottish Government budget Sector: Local Government UK - Renfrewshire Council leader Derek Mackay has welcomed the "new opportunities for local councils" presented in the Scottish Government's budget. [full story] |
New round of Enterprise Capital Funds boosts investment in high growth businesses Sector: Central Government UK - Three new groups are to be awarded £60 million as part of the Government's efforts to tackle the lack of financial backing available to fledgling businesses. [full story] |
Government set to save business over £100 million Sector: Central Government UK - John Hutton Secretary of State for Business brought forward measures to cut red tape and save business millions of pounds in the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill. [full story] |
The new Scottish Borders campus – opportunities for Borders Businesses Sector: Local Government UK - Nearly £50 million worth of investment will provide a state of the art ‘hub’ for lifelong learning and training at Netherdale, Galashiels when, in 2009, the new joint Further and Higher Education Campus opens, bringing Borders College and Heriot Watt University together. [full story] |
New £10 million centre to bring virtual reality technology within reach of small businesses Sector: Central Government UK - Aberystwyth University’s new £10.4m Visualisation Centre, which will help businesses turn their ideas into virtual reality, will be formally opened by Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones. [full story] |
Agreement to construct framework for council work Sector: Local Government UK - Companies are being invited to submit expressions of interest to join with an authority which spends millions of pounds on public services construction work. [full story] |
£30m sweetener for Scottish firms Sector: Central Government UK - Nearly £30 million of government cash has been offered in the last three months to firms planning to expand their operations in Scotland. [full story] |
Local authorities boost business start-up agency Sector: Local Government UK - Oxfordshire Business Enterprises (OBE) is going into partnership with Oxfordshire's local authorities. [full story] |
Cash to encourage business recycling Sector: Tracker UK - Waste chiefs in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire have been awarded a £213,000 grant to help encourage companies to recycle trade and business waste, Peterborough Today reports. [full story] |
Council agrees grants and loans to help local businesses Sector: Local Government UK - Richmondshire District Council has approved a new scheme of grants and loans for businesses. [full story] |
£170 million boost for low-carbon energy technology Sector: Central Government UK - Government investment in commercialising low-carbon technologies in the UK will top £370 million over the next three years, thanks to the announcement of an extra £170 million for the cross-Government Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF). [full story] |
Council backs plans to boost small businesses Sector: Local Government Sector: Local Government UK - Kensington and Chelsea councillors are backing a series of retail options to boost commerce in the borough. [full story] |
Training scheme to boost small businesses in Lambeth Sector: Local Government UK - A support and training scheme will help entrepreneurs and residents set up businesses in Lambeth. [full story] |
Facing the challenges of the Northern Ireland economy Sector: Central Government UK - Economy Minister Nigel Dodds set out his vision for a higher value-added economy that is able to compete effectively within a globalised workforce. [full story] |
Minister seeks views of local leaders on Government's new legislative programme Sector: Local Government UK - East Midlands Minister Gillian Merron was in Nottingham for unprecedented discussions with heads of business, community leaders and local policy makers from across the region as part of the Government's new approach to its upcoming legislative programme. [full story] |
New measures to help small firms from FSA Sector: Central Government UK - The Financial Services Authority (FSA) announced it is introducing new measures to increase its contact with small firms. The aim is to help firms make faster progress in meeting the FSA's Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) initiative and to identify, more quickly, those firms most in need of regulatory attention. [full story] |
Hutton: enterprise and growth crucial to the UK's continued success Sector: Central Government UK - Chancellor Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Business John Hutton and Competitiveness Minister Stephen Timms, will ask 20 of the UK's most successful business owners what Government can do to further growth among Britain's businesses. [full story] |
Investment on the agenda for East Midlands companies Sector: Local Government UK - A new scheme has been launched in the East Midlands aimed at helping entrepreneurs raise finance to help their businesses grow. [full story] |
Health Minister announces £10 million to improve health at work Sector: Health UK - Health minister Ivan Lewis announced £10 million of capital funding to finance new NHS Plus demonstration sites to improve the occupational healthcare services offered to small and medium sized businesses. [full story] |
Cash Windfall for Businesses Sector: Local Government UK - Ashford businesses looking to expand could be in line for a cash windfall from the Government. [full story] |
Grants up for grabs for new or improving retail businesses Sector: Local Government UK - Retail businesses owners will be pleased to hear about the retail support grants being offered by South Somerset District Council's Area East team. [full story] |
Bexley launches SME food waste recycling service Sector: Local Government UK - A food waste collection service for small and medium-sized businesses has been launched in Bexley, following the success of a six-month trial. [full story] |
EMDA funding helps more firms invest in R&D Sector: Local Government UK - Figures recently published by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) show that East Midlands Development Agency (emda) made offers totalling £5.08 million to 61 companies from across the East Midlands under the Grant for Research and Development (GRD) scheme over 2006-07. This is a 70% increase on the previous year, highlighting emda’s continued commitment to helping businesses invest in the development of new products or processes to improve their overall commercial performance. [full story] |
Business group hails rise in small companies Sector: What the papers say UK - The number of small businesses has risen by almost 1m since 1994, providing work for an extra 1.5m people, according to official figures published. [full story] |
BERR - Statistical press release Sector: Central Government UK - The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, has published Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Statistics for the UK 2006. [full story] |
BERR - Statistical press release Sector: Central Government UK - The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, has published Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Statistics for the UK 2006. [full story] |
SMEs report high demand Sector: Industry UK - Small and medium-sized manufacturers have reported the highest rate of growth in domestic orders since 1997, and continue to enjoy firm demand overall, according to the CBI's latest quarterly SME survey. [full story] |
Boost for small businesses Sector: Local Government UK - Small businesses in Ellesmere Port and Neston are the most successful in the county at claiming their rate relief. [full story] |
UK economy boosted by Government small business service Sector: Central Government UK - Small firms using the Government's Business Link service grow their businesses, increase their employee numbers and add £750 million to the economy each year, a report published shows. [full story] |
New Technology Strategy Board - Making the future happen Date Created: Tue 3rd Jul 2007 Drinkable vaccines to replace painful needles, car bodies which biodegrade
at the end of their lives, anti-cancer agents drawn from the sea,
greener biofuels and pacemakers with batteries powered by walking
are just around the corner. |
UK wins record number of inward investments Date Created: Tue 3rd Jul 2007 The UK won a record 1,431 investment projects from overseas companies
in 2006/7, according to figures published by UK Trade & Investment.
This 17 per cent increase demonstrates that the UK's proposition -
with its business friendly environment, political and economic stability,
world-class creative talent, and strong research and development base
- continues to act as a powerful magnet for foreign investors. |
Department for business, enterprise and regulatory reform established Date Created: Fri 29th Jun 2007 UK - John Hutton, the new Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise
and Regulatory Reform, welcomed the creation of a department to equip
Britain to seize new opportunities in the changing global economy. |
Machinery of Government Changes Date Created: Thu 28th Jun 2007 A number of additional Machinery of Government changes have been
made. Departments will implement these changes with immediate effect. |
Members of the Board appointed for the new Technology Strategy Board Date Created: Mon 25th Jun 2007 Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling announced the appointment
of eleven board members for the new Technology Strategy Board. The
Technology Strategy Board, currently a DTI advisory body, will become
operational as an executive non-departmental public body from 1 July
2007. |
Easier access to business advice for small firms Date Created: Thu 21st Jun 2007 Radically simplifying the number of business support schemes from
3000-plus to well under 100 is at the centre of new proposals to help
small business announced by Small Business Minister Margaret Hodge. |
New ethnic minority business task force launched by DTI Date Created: Tue 19th Jun 2007 A new Ethnic Minority Business Task Force will help foster growth
among black and minority ethnic (BME) firms and boost economic participation
by BME entrepreneurs, Small Business Minister Margaret Hodge announced. |
Rate reform boost for small businesses and town centres Date Created: Fri 11th May 2007, 12:29:19 UK - Local Government Minister Phil Woolas has (11 May) published
new legislation aimed at encouraging empty shops, offices, factory
and warehouse buildings back into commercial use as part of a package
to create thriving urban centres, renovate empty buildings and promote
greater use of brownfield land. |
Minister announces new approach to engaging small business Date Created: 2007-05-01 13:00:05 Small business owners and the UK's main business representative organisations
will meet today for the first of a new series of round table meetings
to discuss key issues facing the UK's 4.3 million small and medium
enterprises (SMEs). |
The search is on to find the next Enterprise Champions Date Created: 2007-03-01 13:00:05 The search is on to find the UK's enterprise champions, with the
launch of the DTI's Enterprising Britain 2007 competition. |
Margaret Hodge announces Companies Act Implementation timetable Date Created: 2007-03-01 13:00:05 The full implementation timetable for the Companies Act 2006 was announced today by Industry and Regions Minister Margaret Hodge. All of the Act will be in place by October 2008 with many elements implemented earlier. [full story] |
Council pledges to be small business friendly Date Created: Fri 22nd Sep 2006, 09:53:01 UK - A new small business friendly concordat, aimed at encouraging small local businesses to work with the council has been developed by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. [full story (Basingstoke and Deane)] |
Greater rewards for local authorities that promote business growth Date Created: Thu 14th Sep 2006, 14:21:39 UK - Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and John Healey, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, announced that local authorities will stand to receive greater rewards for promoting local business growth. [full story] |
BCC and AIG Europe (UK) Limited join forces to stop unnecessary business failure Date Created: Fri 8th Sep 2006, 12:18:11 UK - BCC has announced an alliance with AIG Europe (UK) Limited to provide SMEs with tailored insurance solutions and advice on business risk management. [full story (BCC)] |
Reduced burdens streamline access to Small Business Rate Relief Date Created: Mon 4th Sep 2006, 15:21:35 UK - A government commitment to reduce the burden of form filling associated with applying for small business rate relief has been made good. In an Order laid before Parliament, Local Government Minister Phil Woolas confirmed that businesses whose circumstances do not change will only need to apply once, for a period of up to five years, for small business rate relief. Previously, small businesses were required to apply every year. The announcement follows consultation on streamlining the arrangements for applying for small business rate relief. [full story (Communities)] |
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Statistics 2005
Date Created: Thu 31st Aug 2006, 11:22:56 UK - The Small Business Service (SBS), an executive agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, today published Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Statistics for the UK 2005. There were an estimated 4.3 million business enterprises in the UK at the start of 2005, an increase of 59,000 (1.4 per cent) on the start of 2004. This estimate, and figures in this release, comprises the private sector (including public corporations and nationalised bodies) and therefore excludes Government and non-profit organisations. [full story (SBS)] |
Council support for small businesses Date Created: Wed 30th Aug 2006, 10:18:44 UK - Canterbury City Council has shown its commitment to small businesses by signing up to the national small business-friendly concordat. Small businesses offer a number of benefits. They respond quickly and flexibly to customer needs, are a source of innovations and ideas, offer cash savings, improved quality and effectiveness, and are frequently close at hand. [full story (Canterbury)] |
New formula can show SMEs how IT can improve their bottom line Date Created: Mon 28th Aug 2006, 10:59:27 UK - SMEs can now rate their use of technology and communications so that they can achieve the maximum value from their investment by using a formula developed by leading psychologist and Cardiff and Birmingham University lecturer, Dr Cliff Arnall. The formula, commissioned by BT Business, identifies the key factors that enable a small business and its employees to thrive. It is available online at www.bt.com/business/workitwell so that companies can calculate their own score. [full story (BT)] |
Council seeks boost for businesses Sector: Local Government UK - Business investment in Medway could receive a huge boost if the council is successful in its efforts for the area to be awarded Assisted Area Status by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). Achieving Assisted Area Status (AAS) would
entitle local companies to apply for grant
assistance from Government for future investment
projects that would both protect existing jobs
and create new jobs. This support would also
be available to encourage new companies to
move into the area, increasing inward investment.
[full story (Medway)] |