Tackling local unemployment, supporting business and social enterprise was one of my top election pledges. Since 2010 I have worked tirelessly on this issue; working closely with the local councils, the Chamber of Commerce, training providers and the business community.
The Government is working to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business by supporting businesses across the country.
- The Department for International Trade (DIT) has, since its creation in 2016, supported 130 Staffordshire businesses to achieve exports of £30m. A further 101 Staffordshire businesses have attended export focused events run by the DIT.
- Since its launch in May 2014, the Stoke and Staffordshire Growth Hub has engaged and supported 4,340 businesses and it has helped 385 individuals to start up a new business.
- In Stafford, 42 Government backed Start-Up Loans have been drawn down since September 2012 with a value of over £218,000. A Regional Growth Fund award of £4m made in 2011 has attracted private investment of £56.5 million, delivering 1,600 jobs.
- British Business Bank programmes have, since November 2014, facilitated over £4.3m to 87 businesses in the constituency of Stafford. This includes 54 Start-up Loans at a value of £415,957.
- The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills found that 13% of all projects funded by the government’s Manufacturing Advisory Service between 2012 and 2016 were located in the West Midlands.
- Companies House estimates that, in the Stafford parliamentary constituency area, the number of new companies started in 2014-15 was 1,649. In 2015-16 this figure was 1,701.
great.gov.uk is the Government’s single international destination for information on UK trade, investment, tourism and education. It features a range of services to help businesses export and grow into global markets and help overseas companies locate and grow in the UK.
Through great.gov.uk businesses can:
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Register on the exporters’ directory Find a Buyer - connecting UK businesses with overseas suppliers
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Find an export opportunity - allowing UK businesses to search thousands of unique export opportunities
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Get on the right e-marketplace - helping businesses access the best e-commerce opportunities via preferential deals with the world’s largest online marketplaces
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Seek advice from GREAT’s network of partners including banks, the Big Four consultancies, logistics companies and e-commerce platforms
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Invest in Great Britain - a new service for potential investors into the UK. This highlights the benefits of investing, provides opportunities and offers practical advice
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Find Guides to exporting - new digital guides and market information to help a UK business to be an exporting success.
Companies in the West Midlands - export enquiries
75 Harborne Road, Birmingham, B15 3DH
wmenquiries@mobile.trade.gov.uk
0345 222 0159
If any constituency business has a particular issue they would like to raise with me please do not hesitate to contact me by calling 01785 252 477.
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For any established businesses or would be entrepreneurs, please see below points of contacts / organisations / schemes that might be of interest to you:
http://www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/
http://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/business-advice
https://staffordshirechambers.co.uk/business-support/
https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-support-finder
http://www.stokestaffslep.org.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships
https://www.stokestaffsgrowthhub.co.uk/