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Chancellor sets 30% SME target for procurement
Sector: Local Government
Date Created: Wed 12th Mar 2008, 14:07:18
Source: Kable
Link: http://www.kablenet.com
UK - The chancellor will consider a target of 30% of public sector
business going to small and medium sized businesses.
"We will take immediate steps to give firms better access to government
contracts, and to help them with their cash flow," Alistair Darling
told the House of Commons on 12 March 2008.
He announced a review of SMEs in public sector procurement by Anne Glover,
chief executive of Amadeus Capital Partners, "to look into what other barriers
we can remove and the practicality of setting a goal for small and medium enterprises
to win 30% of all public sector business in the next five years".
This will involve an advisory committee to provide advice for the Pre-Budget
Report. HM Treasury also said it will instigate free trial periods for all suppliers
newly registering with Supply2Gov, and will allow firms supplying public services
to government to sell public sector invoices to debt specialists.
"I believe that this could help promote enterprise in one of our most
innovative and dynamic areas of the economy," added Darling.
The chancellor also announced funding for new use of biometric technology at
Heathrow and other airports, with the aim of speeding border control checks.
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