Supplementary written evidence from Department
for Business, Innovation and Skills
FOLLOW-UP NOTES TO QUESTIONS
Q.40 Request for information on the organisation
of the international trade advisor network
While the loss of RDA and Government Office resource
means a reduction of 50 trade advisors, UKTI is looking hard at
all of its budgets to identify where efficiencies can be made
to recycle into its front line activities.
In terms of the organisation of UKTI's trade advisers,
UKTI remains committed to providing international trade adviser
support to exporters and potential exporters across England, with
delivery as close as possible to its customers. UKTI is looking
at gaining efficiencies in how that network is administered so
as to maximise resource at the front line. But that resource is
not uniformly efficient, and UKTI will be looking to improve efficiency
across the network up to the levels of the best. It will combine
that with a greater focus on collaborative working to extend the
reach of the network.
Q.56 Request for information on the research
done around the decision to end the Fixed Rate interest export
finance scheme
The consultation document, impact assessment and
Government response can be found at the ECGD website at:
http://www.ecgd.gov.uk/Consultations/support-fixed-rate-export?cat=closedwithresponse
Q.65 Request for more information on Catalyst
and Business Ambassador Network
UKTI makes significant use of leaders and influencers
in the business community to help communicate messages to companies
and entrepreneurs about the attractiveness of the UK as a place
from where to grow an international business. The launch of Catalyst
represents a new strand of this.
The network has been running as a pilot for the last
year and now has 100+ members. The vision is to create a network
of up to 500 business leaders and influencers, British born or
anglophile and in the UK or overseas, who will work with UKTI,
and other parts of Government, to promote the UK's reputation
as the international business partner of choice.
In respect of the Business Ambassadors network, although
elements of the Business Ambassadors' work will echo that of Catalyst
UK members their engagement is deeper and more managed. Business
Ambassadors are not, currently, part of the Catalyst UK network,
but could be regarded as a senior tier. Where Business Ambassadors
are engaged in overseas missions, we anticipate that Catalyst
members would complement their work e.g. through participation
in local events.
Q.77 Request for more information on how the
lessons learned from the "Your Freedom" exercise will
feed into the Red Tape Challenge
The Red Tape Challenge process has been informed
by lessons learned from Your Freedom, in particular regarding
resourcing, IT capability and stakeholder engagement. To ensure
that this project is appropriately resourced, the Cabinet Secretary
wrote to all Permanent Secretaries, asking that they prioritise
it and provide the necessary resource. The website was built in-house
by Number 10. We have also allocated further resource to provide
for a web developer to make necessary improvements during the
first few months of the project to ensure that we respond quickly
to user feedback.
Prior to the launch of the retail theme, key stakeholders
such as British Retail Consortium, British Chambers of Commerce
and Association of Convenience Stores were consulted over both
the content of the website and its design. Before the launch of
each theme, the lead department will work closely with their stakeholders
to ensure that it meets their needs. There is also an individual
of renown within the different sectors appointed as sector champion
to encourage and facilitate stakeholder engagement on the website.
There were three strands to Your Freedom - one of
which related to reducing regulation although in general the comments
were extremely general (hence the sector-specific focus of the
new Red Tape Challenge). Where comments on specific regulations
were made, these will be added to those collected from the Red
Tape Challenge website.
QQ.84, 85, 89 SME Surgeries
What are SME Surgeries?
On 11 February 2011 at the SME Strategic Supplier
Summit David Cameron and Francis Maude announced a broad package
of reforms designed to significantly open-up the public sector
marketplace to SMEs. Included in the package was the concept of
Product Surgeries - opportunities for SMEs to "pitch"
innovative products and services direct to a panel of senior procurement
and operational professionals from central government and the
wider public sector. They will be held at regular intervals at
locations throughout the country. The panel will be able to offer
thoughts and advice on any further development and will ask the
kind of questions of the supplier that they could expect when
bidding for a contract. Through the new Innovation Launch Pad
the Cabinet Office has subsequently invited SMEs to pitch their
business ideas on how they can help to provide better value for
money in the delivery of Government's business.
Surgeries will be led by Stephen Allot, the new Crown
Commercial Representative (CCR). The Crown Commercial Representative
(CCR) network, including the SME CCR, became operational with
effect from 1 April 2011.
This initiative will be in addition to the other
channels to market that SMEs currently use i.e. SBRI, and will
not replace or form part of any tender process.
Q.84 How will SME Surgeries be funded?
All events will be funded directly by the departments
that are running them.
Q.85 Where are we in the process of setting
them up?
The Innovation Launch Pad was announced by Cabinet
Office on 28 March 2011.
In May there will be a Civil Service voting phase
which will identify the top submissions. In June, these companies
will then be offered coaching by our volunteer entrepreneurs (such
as Mike Lynch and Hermann Hauser). The Surgery itself will take
place in central London in early July where the top submitters
(around 10 companies) will present their proposals to an audience
of Civil Service buyers. The goal is to raise internal awareness
within the Civil Service of innovation to inform future procurements.
DWP and DfE will also hold surgeries over the summer
on solutions for Universal Credit and education cost saving ideas
respectively.
Q.89 What is the role of Stephen Allott? How
was he selected as a special representative? Is it a part time
or full time role?
His task will be to build a more strategic dialogue
between HM Government and smaller suppliers - giving those suppliers
a strong voice at the top table. The role is on a part-time basis
(two days per week). In terms of his selection, Cabinet Office
issued a job specification, suitable candidates were invited to
submit a CV and statement of suitability, followed by interviews.
Q.95 How will IP Attaches be resourced and
how many of them will there be?
Q.96 Who will they be chosen and where will
they be based?
IP attachés will be funded from existing IPO
budgets. IP attachés will provide a focal point in host
countries for supporting UK businesses with IP related issues,
promoting UK business interests and working with local IPR enforcement
agencies. This will be a small network, up to 4 attachés,
based in key markets for UK businesses. Although not finalised,
likely countries include China and India.
We expect the first IP attaché to be in place
by the end of this year and others to be in post the year after.
The US, France and the EU all have IP attachés based in
key emerging markets. We are speaking with these attachés
to help refine our thinking and develop our approach.
We expect that the IP attachés will be in
post for four years, subject to a review of their effectiveness.
After the roles and responsibilities of the posts have been established,
the recruitment process will be finalised. This process may need
to be different for different markets. Decisions on the process
for recruiting IP attachés are likely to be taken within
the next six weeks.
QQ.99 - 100 Has the Services Directive been
implemented in full, and why the December 2011 deadline?
Member States were required to implement the provisions
of the Services Directive by 28 December 2009. In the UK, the
Provision of Services Regulations, which came into effect in December
2009, implemented the provisions of the Services Directive. The
UK Regulations fully implement the Directive.
In addition, UK legislation was comprehensively screened
to ensure that it met the requirements of the Directive and was
amended if needed. The vast majority of these amendments were
completed by December 2009, but a small number were concluded
during 2010, and one remaining technical issue, concerning licensing
of pedlars, will shortly be amended.
The Services Directive is an ambitious, complex directive,
unique in its far-reaching application. As such, Europe-wide implementation
has not been a simple or straightforward process. Member States
undertook a peer-review process which followed the implementation
date. This clarified aspects of the Directive, as well as maintaining
the pressure and impetus to complete correct implementation across
Member States.
The complex nature of the Directive, and the significant
changes it necessitates for some Member States with high degrees
of regulation, as well as the significant technological and administrative
demands, has meant that full implementation of the Directive has
not yet been achieved in all Member States. Whilst we appreciate
the hurdles to be overcome, it is not unreasonable to expect that
Member States would be compliant by December 2011 - two years
after the required deadline of December 2009 - in particular given
the crucial importance of services to economic growth.
12 May 2011
| 
