Through our ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy we are working to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business. We are committed to ensuring all small businesses have access to the advice and support they need to succeed to start, grow, and scale their businesses.<\/p>
All businesses can access core services, information and guidance on starting up and running a business, as well as their statutory rights and obligations, on our GOV.UK sites and www.gov.uk/browse/business<\/a>. The Business Finance and Support Finder tool on the website provides information on how to access a wide range of Government-backed financial support for start-up businesses, such as funding and grant schemes.<\/p> The Business Support Helpline forms a key part of the Government\u2019s offer to SMEs in England, providing trusted and joined-up information and sign-posting businesses to relevant sources of support. The Helpline number is 0300 456 3565. In 2018, it\u202fhelped 31,500 businesses, of which\u202f65% were entrepreneurs and start-ups.<\/p> The network of 38 Growth Hubs across England (one in each Local Enterprise Partnership area) provide businesses with tailored advice and support, as a dedicated, free and impartial \u2018single point of contact\u2019. At the end of FY18/19, Government had invested £56.4 million in Growth Hubs, with a further £12 million committed of core grant funding to LEPs for Growth Hubs for the FY19/20 funding period. LEPS have self-reported that in FY17/18 their Growth Hubs supported over 130,000 businesses, of which over 13,000 received high intensity support of 12 hours or more. They helped over 8,000 individuals start a business and achieved an average customer satisfaction rate of 89.5%.<\/p> The Government-backed British Business Bank is there to make finance markets work better for small businesses at all stages of their development. The Bank\u2019s programmes are currently supporting over £6.6bn of finance to over 89,000 smaller businesses (as at end-March 2019). The British Business Bank\u2019s Start-Up Loans programme provides loans to entrepreneurs seeking to start and grow their own businesses. Since 2012, the Programme has delivered almost 65,000 loans, worth nearly £511m to small businesses (as at end-June 2019).<\/p> Finally, we are working to make small business owners more aware of the wide range of advice and support available to them. We continue to develop our online support through GOV.UK, ensuring SMEs can access the key information they need on running their business any time they wish. And we are also improving SME awareness of finance options: the British Business Bank helps publish the Business Finance Guide, and has launched an online Finance Hub, an online advice platform aimed at raising awareness of appropriate finance options for SMEs.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "278355"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:54:59.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses: Government Assistance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) advice, (b) support and (c) services for small business owners looking to grow their business.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "278354"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139737", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139737/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Through our ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy we are working to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business. We are committed to ensuring all small businesses have access to the advice and support they need to succeed to start, grow, and scale their businesses.<\/p> All businesses can access core services, information and guidance on starting up and running a business, as well as their statutory rights and obligations, on our GOV.UK sites and www.gov.uk/browse/business<\/a>. The Business Finance and Support Finder tool on the website provides information on how to access a wide range of Government-backed financial support for start-up businesses, such as funding and grant schemes.<\/p> The Business Support Helpline forms a key part of the Government\u2019s offer to SMEs in England, providing trusted and joined-up information and sign-posting businesses to relevant sources of support. The Helpline number is 0300 456 3565. In 2018, it\u202fhelped 31,500 businesses, of which\u202f65% were entrepreneurs and start-ups.<\/p> The network of 38 Growth Hubs across England (one in each Local Enterprise Partnership area) provide businesses with tailored advice and support, as a dedicated, free and impartial \u2018single point of contact\u2019. At the end of FY18/19, Government had invested £56.4 million in Growth Hubs, with a further £12 million committed of core grant funding to LEPs for Growth Hubs for the FY19/20 funding period. LEPS have self-reported that in FY17/18 their Growth Hubs supported over 130,000 businesses, of which over 13,000 received high intensity support of 12 hours or more. They helped over 8,000 individuals start a business and achieved an average customer satisfaction rate of 89.5%.<\/p> The Government-backed British Business Bank is there to make finance markets work better for small businesses at all stages of their development. The Bank\u2019s programmes are currently supporting over £6.6bn of finance to over 89,000 smaller businesses (as at end-March 2019). The British Business Bank\u2019s Start-Up Loans programme provides loans to entrepreneurs seeking to start and grow their own businesses. Since 2012, the Programme has delivered almost 65,000 loans, worth nearly £511m to small businesses (as at end-June 2019).<\/p> Finally, we are working to make small business owners more aware of the wide range of advice and support available to them. We continue to develop our online support through GOV.UK, ensuring SMEs can access the key information they need on running their business any time they wish. And we are also improving SME awareness of finance options: the British Business Bank helps publish the Business Finance Guide, and has launched an online Finance Hub, an online advice platform aimed at raising awareness of appropriate finance options for SMEs.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "278354"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:54:59.67Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses: Government Assistance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that small business owners are aware of the advice, support, and services available from the Government to help them grow their business.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "278355"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139740", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139740/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Since 2010 the Government has successively reduced the UK Corporation Tax rate to support businesses, both large and small. Now at 19%, the UK Corporation Tax rate is currently the lowest in the G20, and in April 2020 it will be lowered further from 19% to 17%.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4320", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Jenrick"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newark"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Jenrick"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:00:13.57Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses: Corporation Tax"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to lower the corporation tax rate for small businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "278356"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139741", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139741/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There have been no changes to the reporting requirements for businesses below the VAT threshold. Making Tax Digital (MTD) applies only to VAT registered businesses above the £85,000 VAT threshold.<\/p> <\/p> The Government has been clear that any move to extend MTD would happen only after it has assurance that the MTD for VAT service is working well, and will therefore not be mandating MTD for any new taxes or businesses in 2020.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3991", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jesse Norman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hereford and South Herefordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jesse Norman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:48:20.193Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Business: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of scrapping quarterly reporting for businesses with a turnover of under £85,000.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "278357"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139755", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139755/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Through our ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy we are working to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business. We are committed to ensuring all small businesses have access to the advice and support they need to succeed to start, grow, and scale their businesses.<\/p> <\/p>