The curious case of the missing business support products

After many years of waiting, a business support system to end all business support systems was unveiled on Tuesday. Put up the bunting, don your Sunday best and let's celebrate!

Hold on, what's that? It's still confusing? Time to stop the party.

Pretty much during my entire career as a business journalist, entrepreneurs and lobby groups have been complaining about business support. Confusion, complexity and duplication have been the watchwords as lobbyist after lobbyist called on the government to act.

To give ministers their due, they did act and a few years ago promised us simplification. 3,000 schemes (many of which duplicated each other's services), they said, would be slashed to "under 100". Years passed and Mandy returned to the business department and the doors to that new, exciting and simplified world were opened this week.

"Single government solution for business to help companies succeed," the press release proclaimed. Rather than thousands of criss-crossing schemes, initiatives, awards and projects, 30 'does what it says on the tin' 'products' have been created. 'Starting a business', 'business premises' and 'grants for business investment' are among them; simple and clear - who could get confused by that?

But then, as any good journalist should, I scrolled down to the Notes to editors in the press release. Hold on, what's that? Only 29 products... I'm confused...

I then clicked the link to www.businesslink.gov.uk/solutions, the new website entrepreneurs are encouraged to visit to access information about the new system. Maybe this will help me out, I thought. But no. On the page outlining the products it lists 28. The plot thickens!

I called the BERR press office and it appears I'm not alone in my confusion. The first official couldn't help and when I ask whether the 'Automotive Assistance Programme' listed on the press release as under the 'Real Help Now' banner - a package of support targeted specifically at helping businesses through the recession - was the mysterious missing 30th product, she said "it might be".

The next person I spoke it was a bit more informative but still unclear. From a "marketing perspective", she told me, there are 30 products. Hmmmm, so there aren't 30 products then? Well yes, she said.

What about the 28 listed on the website I asked. Some may have been "grouped together", she advised. Isn't that what caused the confusion is the first place?!

Ultimately, I'm left deflated. I had hoped that 'Solutions for Business' would represent real change but I fear that as it stands, business owners are still going to struggle with getting the assistance they so desperately need.

Admittedly, the whole scheme will completely come into force when they old system has been removed in its entirety in March 2010. However, you would have thought before sending out a press release focusing on the number 30, officials would have actually made sure 30 products actually exist.

Entrepreneurs, I'm very sorry to say that as Janice Munday, the civil servant in charge of simplifying the whole system said last year, it still remains one big muddle.

Update:
After this blog was originally published, I received an email from the BERR press officer stating that the 'Automotive Assistance Programme' is part of the 30 'Solutions for Business' products and also sits within the 'Real Help Now' package.

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