Business: Advice Services
Debate between Baroness Wall of New Barnet and Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
I am glad that my noble friend mentioned exports because a huge export drive is part of the BIS agenda. UKTI provides tailored help for small businesses on suitable markets, export opportunities and, of course, finance. Having been involved in export in a prior life, I know how very helpful that work is to business.
Baroness Wall of New Barnet (Lab)
I am sure the noble Baroness will be aware that the SMEs mentioned by the two previous speakers use the Manufacturing Advisory Service extensively. Is she receiving any information about the effect that not having that facility is having on the way they conduct start-ups and advance their businesses?
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
My Lords, the Manufacturing Advisory Service is, indeed, part of the Business Growth Service. As I have explained, we are doing things differently. In future, businesses will be able to get their support from local growth hubs. We have a strong menu of support through the British Business Bank, start-up loans and in other ways, but the main way to secure success for small businesses is to have the right framework to progress profitable activities. Of course, that means growth, a lesser burden of red tape and of rates and so on.
Small Businesses: Late Payments
Debate between Baroness Wall of New Barnet and Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
My Lords, I am happy to look at this issue. We will be discussing it in Committee this afternoon. The Government acknowledge that there are issues here. We have taken steps to improve the situation, but it is not yet right.
Baroness Wall of New Barnet (Lab)
My Lords, will the Minister explain why even in the NHS there are ethical views about how you pay small businesses for services carried out? If we can do that in the NHS, why can business not do that?
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
I agree with the noble Baroness that late payment has to be got rid of in the public sector and in the private sector. We have taken a great many steps in the public sector, including in the health service. We are now seeking to do more in the private sector. We are discussing that in the Enterprise Bill, which makes really important changes.
Apprentices
Debate between Baroness Wall of New Barnet and Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
This is a very important point. We need to change the culture so that people see apprenticeships as an important career option. Since 2012, there has been a statutory duty on schools to provide independent careers guidance, including on the apprenticeship options. The careers and enterprise company will help schools to build strong links with employers. This is an area where we can really make a step change. Indeed, we can do that ourselves by the work that we do, speaking in schools and with the youngsters of today.
Baroness Wall of New Barnet (Lab)
My Lords, given that the further education colleges provide the greatest part of the training that is essential for extremely important components of apprenticeships, and given that the Minister has just confirmed that the Government’s target of 3 million apprentices by 2020 is still in place, what is being done to ensure that the FE colleges such as those that are members of the 157 Group, of which I am a patron, have the funds to support this expansion?
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
My Lords, apprenticeships will be a priority area in the spending review. The noble Baroness rightly talks about the role that FE colleges can play, and I look forward to discussing further with her group how we can ensure that that money is well spent and links in with employer demand, which is essentially the approach that we now have to apprenticeships. There is so much more that can be done.