Business
Business, enterprise and innovation are important to the economic success of the English regions, creating wealth and opportunity on which the country’s social, economic and environmental well-being depends.
Government Offices (GOs) have a role in ensuring that regional barriers to growth are understood; business teams identify current issues affecting business and provide feedback to departments related to their policy responsibilities. GOs also produce regular economic intelligence reports for the BERR, which reflect the current state of regional economies and the issues concerning businesses in the regions.
Businesses looking for help and guidance, or people looking for help on setting up a new business, can be found from your local Business Link. For assistance on international trade, contact UK Trade and Investment.
Business and Skills
A skilled and flexible workforce is vital to the success of businesses in a region, and the economic prosperity of the region as a whole. The objective of the GOs is to support the Government's agenda to improve productivity for business and raise adult skills, working in partnership with government agencies, business organisations and service providers to achieve this.
Delivering for BERR
Most GOs have a responsibility for delivering the European Structural Funds Programmes for the eligible areas within their region. These Programmes include business support measures, and the target is to align these with similar activities supported through the Small Business Service and other public sector agencies.
Key objectives of GOs related to business are to:
- add value to the BERR's competitiveness agenda, including the collection of business intelligence and spreading knowledge of Government policy
- work in partnership with Regional Development Agencies and other regional players to improve regional performance and achieve goals in the Regional Economic Strategy
- add value to the regional implementation of DCFS's agenda on basic, intermediate and high level skills. This includes encouraging business engagement with activity to meet a range of school and educational achievement targets, such as attendance and educational attainment
