The inaugural meeting of the new SME advisory Panel to Cabinet Office was a breath of fresh air and I am certain it will lead to significant change, challenge and positive outcomes for the £1 in every £3 spend going to an SME – both directly and indirectly. It was great to meet with the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ben Gummer MP) and the Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary (John Manzoni). They both spent longer at the meeting than their schedules allowed, which goes a long way to demonstrate that they are committed to the SME agenda.
I will be hoping for more engagement from Tier 1 suppliers in supporting the agenda and that the prompt payment code is followed through into the real world. The meeting included many new ideas; and the follow up and the efforts that the Panel is willing to put in to push the SME engagement in Government is great to be a part of.
You can read more about the initiative here: www.gov.uk/government/news/government-is-open-for-business-new-advisory-panel and join in the conversation on Twitter: #Open4Biz
