Memorandum submitted by BERR
ACTION PROGRAMME
FOR BUSINESS
The Secretary of State wants BERR to be completely
focused on getting UK business through the present economic downturn
and emerging stronger on the other side. The Department therefore
needs to develop an Action Programme for Business (APB) urgently.
Its proposals will go straight to the Prime Minister's National
Economic Council. In due course, the Secretary of State will publish
a White Paper on the UK's industrial future, including a low carbon
industrial strategy, as he believes the UK must do more to broaden
its economic base beyond its financial sector.
The APB will include the following areas:
— Measures to help SMEs, especially
on cash flow, finance for investment, and regulation.
— Analysis of impacts of the economic
downturn on other businesses and the corporate sector, identifying
the key sectors for future growth and what we can do to help.
— Building on our manufacturing strategy,
bringing forward a White Paper on the UK's industrial future,
including a low carbon industrial strategy (accelerated from Summer
09).
— Opening markets for UK business (UKTI).
— Research and Development and innovation
(working with DIUS).
— Maintaining our commitment to an
open economy.
— Ensuring UK citizens can take full
advantage of future economic opportunities (skills, with DIUS;
links to DCSF).
The APB will build on the Departmental strategy
session earlier this year and subsequent work led by John Hutton
on how the exam question has changed for BERR in the light of
the economic challenges ahead.
Immediate next steps
The Secretary of State will hold a seminar on
the morning of Friday 17 October to seek external and internal
ideas to inform the APB. SofS will join DGs' all-day Strategy
Session in afternoon of Friday 24 October to discuss implementation
of the APB. Brian will take a meeting (tomorrow) on Thursday 16
Oct to discuss organising work on the APB.
15 October 2008
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