A number of themes were discussed including the importance of skills for business success, the likely impact of moves to cut red tape, the scope for improvements in government procurement and the need for continued investment in UK infrastructure:
- The Government is, generally, right to “get out of the way”. There is strong support for reducing regulation but some concern that the “one in one out” rule may only maintain the status quo.
- The costs associated with slow decision-making by Government are particularly wasteful, whether in procurement or areas such as planning decisions. Many parts of government need to make the procurement process quicker and there may be benefits in changing the way in which Government procures, moving to a focus on outputs.
- There is still a need for Government action to support business. Government must continue to invest in skills: the threat from international competition remains substantial and skills are a critical factor for business success. Good management and leadership are particularly important for performance and employee engagement.
- Government should learn from business and try to keep cuts as far from the ‘customer’ as possible.
- Access to credit remains a big problem.
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