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Thu March 28 2024

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Government proposes small business czar

27 Jul 15 The government has published proposals for a Small Business Commissioner to help tackle payment disputes and other supply chain abuses.

The thinking is that the Small Business Commissioner will help small companies to access advice, support, mediation and conciliation services. The commissioner would have the power to look into complaints and report on its findings.

The proposals are set out in a consultation paper, which can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/small-business-commissioner-role.

Business minister Anna Soubry said: “The government is backing small businesses to grow and create more jobs and opportunity. Small businesses are owed £26bn in late payments and spend millions more chasing down money they have already earned through hard work. This is simply unacceptable – it limits their growth and productivity, and can put an otherwise successful business at risk.

“The Small Business Commissioner will tackle the imbalance of bargaining power between small suppliers and large customers, and encourage them to get round the table and sort out disputes at a fraction of the cost of going to court. It will also provide advice, investigate complaints and see where further action is needed to clamp down on unfair practices.”

This is one of a number of measures that the government is implementing in a bid to tackle late payment. The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 introduced a reporting requirement for the UK’s largest companies to report on their payment policies and practices. The Small Business Commissioner will be able to use this data to name and shame those behaving badly and celebrate those leading the way by paying promptly.

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