To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons each of the recommendations in the Glover Review on small and medium-sized enterprises and public procurement cannot be implemented during 2009; and if he will make a statement. (264376)

Working with the Office of Government Commerce, this Department expects to implement 10 of the 12 recommendations contained in Anne Glover’s report “Accelerating the SME economic engine” before the end of 2009. The two remaining recommendations concern the provision of a free procurement portal recommended by Anne Glover for delivery by 2010. Consideration is currently being given to delivery options which may involve a procurement exercise involving advertising in the “Official Journal of the European Union”.