Written question asked by Graham P Jones (Labour) on Thursday, 21 April 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 27 April 2011. It was answered by Mark Prisk (Conservative) on Wednesday, 4 May 2011 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Business: Advisory Services

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to assist small businesses following the closure of the Business Link advice service.

Answer: The 'Bigger, Better Business' pamphlet published on 5 January, set out the Government's plans for modernising the provision of publicly funded support, information and advice for business. The pamphlet can be found on the BIS website at:"www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/enterprise/docs/b/11-515-bigger-better-business-helping-small-firms"These plans include closure of the regional Business Link advisory service. This will enable Government to:focus publicly funded face-to-face advice on helping businesses with the potential to achieve high growth;improve the national Business Link website by offering on-line business information and tools tailored to the individual needs of businesses, supported by a new national contact centre for those who cannot access the information they need on the website;and engage with business mentoring providers and the British Banking Association to develop a mentoring network.The Government are establishing Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that will develop links to existing private sector provision for business support and encourage their use. We are providing LEPs with information on the different Government programmes and access to funds to help their local communities.

Secondary information