By Richard Johnstone | 9 December 2013
A £100m scheme to help small businesses get connected to high-speed broadband was introduced by Prime Minister David Cameron at the weekend.
Under the plan, announced as part of Small Business Saturday, firms in ten cities are now able to apply for grants worth £3,000 to cover the costs of installing faster internet connections. This will help small- and medium-sized businesses create new jobs, Cameron said.
The scheme has been opened up to bids from Belfast, Salford, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Derby, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newport, London and Manchester, and is expected to be extended to a further 12 places in early 2014.
‘Up to £3,000 of broadband vouchers for small business in these cities is not only a massive boost for growth in the UK, but also has the potential to bring China to Cardiff, Brazil to Bristol and the Emirates to Edinburgh in an increased export market,’ Cameron said.
‘As part of our economic plan, I want to give our small businesses every possible advantage to compete in the global race – and also the flexibility to locate or set up right across the UK. To do that we are working on a complete overhaul of the UK’s infrastructure; high-speed broadband is a vital part of this. And on Small Business Saturday, what better way to support small businesses – the lifeblood of our economy – than to help kit them out for the 21st century.’
Culture Secretary Maria Miller urged firms to bid for the cash. ‘Britain is undergoing a broadband transformation and businesses up and down the country will benefit from the millions of pounds we’ve set aside,’ she said.
‘We want Britain’s digital infrastructure to be the best in the world and having faster and more reliable broadband will be key in driving growth.’
The scheme was announced as part of the first Small Business Saturday, which has been established to encourage people to use local firms.
Business Secretary Vince Cable highlighted that companies would benefit from the £250m the government is investing to establish the British Business Bank and through action to tackle late payment to suppliers.
‘Small- and medium-sized companies up and down the country often raise the issue of late payment with me,’ he added.
‘Cashflow is critical to the good functioning of daily business. If bills are not paid on time this can threaten the survival of otherwise healthy businesses. We are enforcing prompt payment throughout the public sector and asking what more we can also do to get credit flowing in the private sector.’
