To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what funding his Department is providing to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in 2008-09. (242348)

The Department’s Action for Business Programme provides up to £7 billion of support to businesses in the UK.

This year, over £140 million has been channelled through Business Link to offer direct support services to over 850,000 businesses, £360 million of lending has taken place through the Small Firms Loan Guarantee and £50 million has been committed through Enterprise Capital Funds.