Small Business Commissioner
Fair Payment Code

Taskforce launches to reduce regulation and burden on small firms

If there is one thing founders consistently tell me, it’s that they feel burdened by ‘layers of stuff’ they have to do in their business, before time and energy can be spent working on the business. A Taskforce has been set up to address this, with an 8-week sprint to identify regulations getting in the way of growth. This newsletter introduces the Taskforce and asks you to name a regulation or process that, if removed, could make your life easier.

Co-chaired by Minister McDougall and FSB Chair, Tina McKenzie MBE, the task of the taskforce is to: ‘identify priority areas for reform and develop evidence-based recommendations to streamline processes, improve clarity and create a more effective and proportionate regulatory environment for SMEs.’

This will be delivered through an 8-week focused set of activity with Taskforce members meeting every fortnight to assess evidence and develop recommendations. Taskforce members have been allocated workstreams from the list below and are committed to the job. They are; Charlotte Keenan Iain Wright Dr Roni Savage OBE FREng Michelle Ovens CBE Prameet ‘Polly’ Dhaliwal Neil Davy Josh Toovey Kate Shoesmith Ed Woodall

I am on the Taskforce in a supportive role, with my contribution being a) late payment is a burden and we are ‘on it’ in terms of addressing this particular productivity stalling problem and b) making the case to create a similar function to the US with their Office of Advocacy where small businesses submit regulations for review and consideration to be scrapped.

The end output of the sprint is for Taskforce members to produce a report with recommendations as to how the Government can reduce the administrative and regulatory burden faced by small businesses, either through regulatory reform or wider change. The Government will then set out its response to these recommendations in the Autumn.

In summary, this is a fast paced piece of work.

The first meet was this week and the Taskforce is underway. In Minister McDougall’s own words; ‘These sprints work well when they are fast, nimble, and practical. I want you to come up with ideas that can have an immediate impact.’

The Taskforce has been created as part of an ambition, set out in the Small Business Plan, to reduce the cost to small firms of regulation and admin by 25%.

My ask of you? If you have specific points of regulation or processes that place unnecessary burden on your business, please share them here so they can be considered. The more specific, the better. Thank you to all founders visited on SME Safaris to date who have provided such points. It’s only through knowledge of them, that the Taskforce can address them.

Taskforce workstreams