News

Government merger creates new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Government names Alan Sugar as ‘enterprise tsar’

Government launches small business review

Business confidence on the rise among UK bosses

UK set to become knowledge pioneer

UK small businesses owed more than £10 billion in late payments

UK business recovery 'will trail behind rest of world'

Women report greater fear of failure in launching new enterprise

Call for EU drive towards sustainable business growth

Entrepreneurs aim to ride out the downturn without cutting jobs

Career choices for girls limited by gender stereotyping

New Government guidance on good payment practice

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News

Government merger creates new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Government has announced the creation of a new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) formed from a merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). The new department is designed to advocate the needs of UK small businesses with the key aim of building Britain’s capability to compete in the global economy.  The ‘New Industries, New Jobs’ paper produced jointly by BERR and DIUS in April set out Government plans placing enterprise, skills, innovation and world-class science and research at the centre of post recession growth.  However, critics have commented that such a radical reorganisation is ill-timed, as businesses struggle to cope with the pressures of recession.  Find out more at  http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/pressroom/page51711.html

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Government names Alan Sugar as ‘enterprise tsar’
The tough talking entrepreneur at the centre of TV’s ‘The Apprentice’ is to take on a key role as adviser to small businesses and Government as Enterprise Champion.  The new role aims to ensure small firms and entrepreneurs make the most of the support available from Government and other sources, and will champion the causes of viable small companies with Government, banks and suppliers.  Labour are not the only party seeking to harness the skills of the UKs entrepreneurs, with reports of 1,000 new applications to the Conservative party received from business owners in response to David Cameron’s call for fresh thinking from the business community.  Barely a fifth of applications for parliamentary seats generally come from business people.  Read more at
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/095a2a2c-539f-11de-be08-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=beb2c81c-43cc-11de-a9be-00144feabdc0.html

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Government launches small business review
Government has launched a review of small and medium-sized businesses to find out whether firms have access to the finance they need to grow. The Growth Capital Review will ascertain whether high growth businesses have access to the finance they need for expansion and what intervention from the Government, if any, is appropriate.  The Growth Capital Review is part of the government's ‘New Industry, New Jobs’ plan which was announced earlier this year and aims to help stimulate economic recovery. The review will be led by venture capital expert Christopher Rowlands and supported by an advisory group which will seek input from a wide audience of both industry and Government representatives.  The call for evidence is open until 17 July 2009.  To contribute to the review visit http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file51817.doc  

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Social Enterprise News

New ministers for the Cabinet Office and the Office of the Third Sector
The Cabinet Office has a new ministerial team with Tessa Jowell MP as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Angela Evans Smith as Minister for the Third Sector.  Jowell replaces Liam Byrne, who is now Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and retains her portfolio as Minister for the Olympics and London, and Paymaster General.  Smith replaces Kevin Brennan who has moved to the new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The position of heading the Office for the Third Sector has been elevated to being a minister of state rather than a parliamentary under secretary.  For more information visit http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/090608_minister.aspx

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Government announces funding for health and social care enterprises
The Department of Health has announced that social enterprises which improve the quality of health and social care for local communities can now apply for loans and grants from the Department of Health's Social Enterprise Investment Fund.  There is more than £70 million available for start-up and existing social enterprises over the next three years.  Social enterprises can apply for a range of financial help including loans, grants and equity-like investment products, along with tailored business support services that can be provided by the fund. The fund is managed by Futurebuilders England and Partnerships UK, on behalf of the Department of Health. New and existing organisations can apply for investments by visiting www.dh.gov.uk/seif or calling 0191 269 2276. The funding application process takes approximately six weeks.

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'Modernisation fund' £1,000 bursaries
From June 1 to July 17, frontline organisations with an annual turnover of between £150,000 and £750,000 are invited to apply online for a £1,000 bursary from the Government’s modernisation fund grants programme.  The funding, delivered by Capacitybuilders, is focused on helping frontline third sector organisations that meet the needs of people and communities affected by the recession.  The £1,000 bursaries available under phase one of the programme will allow organisations to buy at least two days of advice and support to explore how they can become more resilient and work more closely with others, including through collaboration or merger. Find out more at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/090619_capacitybuilders.aspx

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Jobs/ Opportunities

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Events

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For details of events aimed at women entrepreneurs taking place in your area click on the map below, members remember you can add your events to the Prowess online clickable map quickly and easily at no cost:

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