Consultation outcome

Purchasing goods and services: protection of small businesses

From:
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
Published
24 March 2015
Last updated
2 February 2016 — See all updates
This consultation has concluded

Download the full outcome

Protection of small businesses when purchasing goods and services: government response

Ref: BIS/16/32

PDF, 188 KB, 27 pages

Detail of outcome

We recognise the concerns over costs and unintended consequences which many respondents raised. We will:

  • consult on whether further protections are needed for micro businesses in non-regulated sectors
  • ensure greater focus on the needs of small businesses through our policy statements to Ofgem and Ofwat
  • ask the UK Regulators Network to consider the protections needed by small businesses across regulated sectors as part of its work in 2016
  • ensure the Small Business Commissioner provides advice and information covering rights when purchasing goods and services

Feedback received

Protection of small businesses when purchasing goods and services: responses

ZIP, 3.92 MB

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Detail of feedback received

We received 30 responses from:

  • micro and small businesses
  • medium and large businesses
  • business and consumer representative groups
  • trade bodies
  • academics

There were a range of views expressed on the questions asked.

Original consultation

Summary

We're asking for evidence on whether micro and/or small businesses are sufficiently protected when purchasing goods and services.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We have extended the deadline for responses until 30 June 2015.

We’re asking for evidence on whether:

  • the current legislative framework for the sale and supply of goods and services to micro and/or small businesses sufficiently protects them
  • there’s a gap in the law

If there is evidence of a gap in the law, we would also like evidence on whether there are:

  • potential impacts on costs and benefits of applying certain consumer protections to micro and/or small businesses
  • other options

We are interested in hearing from:

  • individual firms and their representatives
  • trade bodies
  • research and academic organisations
  • others with experience of analysis in this area

Submissions should be backed up with strong and clear evidence to support any views offered.

Documents

Protection of small businesses when purchasing goods and services: call for evidence

Ref: BIS/15/209

PDF, 835 KB, 45 pages

Published 24 March 2015
Last updated 2 February 2016 + show all updates

  1. Added government response.

  2. Added public feedback.

  3. Deadline for responses extended unil 30 June 2015.

  4. First published.

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