Harriett Baldwin this week increased the pressure on the Government to help county technology start-ups to pitch for research contracts. The MP questioned Business Secretary Vince Cable on plans to allow new companies set up in Malvern to carry out important research work. Harriett placed the question following a series of meetings with companies which are planning to set up research-based business in Worcestershire. Speaking in the House of Commons Harriett said: “Spin offs and start-ups in West Worcestershire are discovering that in order to win procurement contracts they need to have accounts for the last two years and I wondered what the Secretary of State will urgently review that.” Dr Cable replied: “We are taking steps to open up public procurement for the kind of small spin offs that she describes. There is an aspiration to increase public procurement from SMEs to 25 per cent.” He also stated that the Department for Business Innovation and Skills was removing a level of pre-qualification questionnaires for very small companies. Speaking after the debate, Harriett added: “I am determined to work with the Department to remove every barrier for small start-ups in the county. “We must show that the country is well and truly open for business for every entrepreneur who wants to start trading and the Government must do everything in its power to enable this.” | Hansard