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Government bins business red tape

Business will be freed from the burden of red tape under a package of sweeping reforms to regulation, it was announced today.

In a speech to the Federation of Small Businesses in Liverpool, Mark Prisk revealed Business Secretary Vince Cable’s plans for a range of measures to be included in the Growth Review that will allow businesses to grow, including:

  •  a public audit of almost 22,000 statutory instruments that are currently on the statute book; and
  • a moratorium to exempt businesses with fewer than ten employees and genuine start ups from new domestic regulation for three years.
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New ‘Solutions for Business’ portfolio refocused on growth

The Government is launching a new portfolio of products today to help businesses and support growth in the economy.

The new Solutions for Business (SfB) package is simpler, making it easier to understand and accessible to companies.

There are 13 products designed to help businesses identify and overcome key challenges as they grow and develop. It will target activities where a Government lead is required, such as providing access to strategic advice, helping companies reach international markets and supporting innovation.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk announced the 13 products at a North West Business Reception in Manchester.

Mr Prisk said:

“The new Solutions for Business portfolio has been designed to give businesses the help they need to expand and grow.

“We are moving away from centralised advice and focusing on targeted programmes. This streamlining is firmly based on developing those services which work, and which private providers do not offer. Securing economic growth is our central task and this step is part of our broad programme to free enterprise and help small firms prosper.”

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£100m investment in skills to drive growth

Secretary of State for Business, Vince Cable, and Minister for Skills, John Hayes, recently launched a £50 million a year fund to help businesses develop the skills they need to drive growth.

The Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF) will deliver targeted help for employer groups to overcome barriers to growth within their sectors and industries. The funding could deliver new training to boost innovation and productivity, enable industries to set new professional standards, or support new or extended National Skills Academies.

 BIS will invest up to £50m per year in partnership with businesses, whose investment alongside Government could deliver a total of up £100m a year.

Secretary of State Vince Cable said:

“This government understands that to rebalance and grow our economy, we need to tackle the skills shortages that hold companies back. Through this fund, we will support employers that take collective action to overcome these blockages to expansion.

“By putting the employer voice at the heart of the process, we will reward inventive approaches to training that deliver real help to get business moving.”

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Radical shake-up of Criminal Record Regime and Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS)

Does this effect your Association or Not for Profit Organisation

More than nine million people working or volunteering with children and vulnerable adults will no longer need to register and be monitored by the state following an overhaul of the checking regime. The government has unveiled plans to scale back the VBS and Criminal Records Regime to common sense levels while ensuring vulnerable groups are appropriately protected.

The proposals, which come after a comprehensive review of the existing system, include: the merging of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to form a streamlined new body providing a proportionate barring and criminal records checking service; a large reduction of the number of positions requiring checks to just those working most closely and regularly with children and vulnerable adults; portability of criminal records checks between jobs to cut down on needless bureaucracy; an end to a requirement for those working or volunteering with vulnerable groups to register with the VBS and then be continuously monitored by the ISA; and stopping employers who knowingly request criminal records checks on individuals who are not entitled to them.

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ASA launches ad campaign to prepare business for new online marketing regulation.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is launching a cross-media ad campaign (outdoor, radio, press, online) to raise awareness of the fact that its remit is being extended to cover marketing on websites from 1st March 2011.

From 1 March, marketing communications on companies’ own websites and in other third party space under their control, such as Facebook and Twitter, will have to adhere to the non-broadcast advertising rules as set out in the CAP Code.

The ad campaign seeks to raise awareness of the ASA’s extended remit and calls on companies to ensure marketing messages on their websites are legal, decent, honest and truthful. It also encourages business to make sure their websites comply by seeking help and advice.

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Paternity Leave and Pay – Additional paternity leave and pay will come into force from 3rd April 2011.

Introduction of additional paternity leave and pay

Additional paternity leave and pay will come into force from 3 April 2011, eligible employees will gain the right to additional paternity leave and pay (APL&P).

The right will apply where:

  • their partner is due to give birth on or after 3 April 2011
  • they and/or the other adoptive parent receive notification on or after 3 April 2011 that they have been matched with a child for adoption

Additional paternity leave (APL) will allow an employee to take up to 26 weeks’ leave to care for the child.

The employee will only be able to start their APL:

  • 20 or more weeks after the child’s birth or placement for adoption
  • once their partner has returned to work from statutory maternity leave or statutory adoption leave and/or ended their entitlement to statutory maternity or adoption pay, or maternity allowance
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New government measures announced to help small companies grow

Backing Small Business

The government has announced further plans to help small and medium-sized businesses to flourish and to encourage entrepreneurship.  CJAM specialise in outsourcing to support SMEs contact our management team to find out more.

Set out within the Backing Small Business report, released on 1 November, are six steps to support small businesses:

–  Improving access to finance

–  Opening up government procurement and ensuring prompt payment

–  Supporting those starting a business

–  Making sure competition framework helps new companies

–  Providing targeted support to those that have high-growth potential

–  Ensuring that the government is deliberately reoriented towards their needs

 

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Online marketing – a cost-effective approach

In difficult economic times online marketing provides a cost-effective way to reach customers.  Digital marketing has become one of the most powerful and effective tools for many of CJAM’s clients. As part of an integrated association and not for profit management solution or as a stand alone service, our digital marketing platforms can help you achieve a wide range of marketing objectives including accurate segmentation and targeting, increased brand awareness or customer relationship development.

Our digital solutions are much more cost effective than traditional direct marketing and provide accurate, instant feedback helping you to constantly tailor and improve the effectiveness of campaigns.

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