Oaten calls on Mandelson to help small businesses in Winchester

At the Business & Enterprise Select Committee hearing today (Tuesday 21^st Oct) Winchester MP Mark Oaten called on Lord Mandelson to do more for small businesses.

Mark raised two specific issues directly with the new Secretary of State for Business & Enterprise:

-          He called on Lord Mandelson to do more to help small companies win public contracts from local and health authorities and Government departments. He argued that currently the procurement system is far too complex and revolves around endless form filling that just serves to dissuade small businesses from applying.

-          He also called for Mandelson to appoint a small business Minister for the House of Commons to address the accountability issue currently faced whereby the business Minister can only attend the House of Lords.

Mark Oaten commented:

“The current procurement process for public contracts is absurd. Its all about red tape, form filling and box ticking and there is no flexibility. If we make it easier that opens it up to more companies and provides another source of revenue for small businesses to explore.

“We need to send out the right message to businesses that we can act to make life easier for them in these difficult economic times. And that needs to start from the top. Having the Minister for small businesses hidden away in the Lords sends totally the wrong message. I hope this is sorted out as a priority.