The inquiry will examine the effectiveness of three areas of Government policy and actions, including:
- The provision of loans and grants under programmes such as the Automotive Assistance Programme, the Strategic Investment Fund and the Working Capital Guarantee Scheme;
- the role of UKTI and the Export Credit Guarantee Department in promoting inward investment and exports; and
- the role of the Government in encouraging the supply of credit to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Topics the Committee will consider include:
- The role of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills in supporting industry;
- The effectiveness of existing Government assistance programmes;
- The relationship between the Government, industry and the banks, and the role and performance of the Small Business Banking Forum;
- The performance and role of UKTI and the Export Credit Guarantee Department;
- Steps to encourage inward investment into the UK;
- Government policy as set out in A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and the Green Paper on Business Finance.
Written evidence in connection with the inquiry should be sent to the Committee before Friday 24 September 2010. These should be sent, as an MS Word document, of no more than eight pages (including an executive summary), by e-mail to biscom@parliament.uk with a single hard copy sent to the Clerk of the Committee at the address below.
Once submitted evidence is the property of the Committee and should not be published without the Committee’s consent. The Committee will usually publish evidence it receives, both in printed form and on the Internet. If you wish your evidence to remain confidential, please contact the Committee staff. Before submitting evidence, please read the guide to submission of written evidence at: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/witness.cfm
Media Information: Laura Humble humblel@parliament.uk/ 020 7219 2003
Specific Committee Information: biscom@parliament.uk/ 020 7219 5777/ 020 7219 5779
Watch committees and parliamentary debates online: www.parliamentlive.tv
Committee Address: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, 7 Millbank, London, SW1P 3JA