Our newly unelected Prime Minister has merged the government business and energy departments together and added “industrial strategy” in for good measure. She claims that this will allow the UK to build a long-term economic plan.
Naturally this means a host of new ministers to head up the newly named Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and they have now been revealed as:
- Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Nick Hurd MP, Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry
- Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (joint minister with Department for Education)
- Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property
- Margot James MP, Minister for Small Business, Consumers, and Corporate Responsibility
- Jesse Norman MP, Minister for Industry and Energy
The one we’re most interested in is the Minister for Small Business, Margot James who it’s claimed has some first hand small business experience. Margot first worked in sales and marketing for her father’s business. Then 1986 she co-founded Shire Health Group, a public relations and clinical trials organisation which was sold in 2004.
As well as responsibility for small businesses in the UK, our new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility will also keep an eye on postal affairs and the Royal Mail as well as the national minimum wage.
Doubtless we’ll be hearing more from the BEIS in the coming months and years. At least now you know who’s running the show and under who’s names government policy will be issued which may impact your business.
3 Responses
The list for self employed / small businesses is endless:-
Self-employed NI contribs. (class 2 and 4)
No rights to any benefits for self employed
Ridiculously low VAT registration threshold (even a modest online business is dragged into VAT)
Then there’s the post:
Prices rising above inflation for international mail and signed for deliveries
Reduction in standard compo from 100xfirst class stamp to max. £20 (in breach of 1971 Postal Services Act)
Ridiculous 9am weekday and 7am weekend “last” collection times on boxes
Closure / downgrading of post offices
1986 she co-founded Shire Health Group, a public relations and clinical trials organisation which was sold in 2004.
business ? Health is a gravy train everyone needs it at some point