PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Small Businesses: Government Assistance (9 June 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which schemes have provided support for small and medium-sized from central government funds in each of the last 10 years; what the total amount of funding so provided was in each such year; and how much such funding was spent in each local authority are in each such year.

Asked by:
Priti Patel (Conservative)

Support for small and medium-sized businesses is an important objective for a number of Government Departments and schemes can take various forms which can include direct and indirect support, advice and information. Over the last 10 years the range of support measures has been very wide and a full answer to this question cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs. Additionally, the Department does not record how much spending or funding is given by local authority area so would not be able to provide this information.

However, since May 2010 the Department has routinely published details of all expenditure including funding provided through Departmental schemes and programmes. Additionally, the Department's annual report and accounts also provide summary information on a range of programmes that include direct and indirect support to all businesses – including some that directly support SMEs. The most recent annual report can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bis-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013

Answered by:
Matt Hancock (Conservative)
16 June 2014