Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has consulted with independent retailers on the development of the new Business Growth service.

My department is working closely with independent retailers and the wider business community on the design of the Business Growth Service. We’ve held roundtables and consultation events across the country, in partnership with local organisations, to hear directly from entrepreneurs and small business owners about the support they need to grow.

My department continues to engage regularly with retailers through key trade associations, and feedback will remain central to how the service evolves. Our goal is to build a service shaped by business, for business.