Forming business support policy: case study of the Bolton Committee

Topic: The paper examines in detail a major government inquiry into the role of small businesses in the British economy. The Bolton Committee has been credited with a significant role in the emergence and development of government policy towards small businesses in Britain.

Applicability to the conference theme: The formation of business support policy takes place in a context characterised by stakeholder interests and differing degrees of influence and 'voice'. The paper speaks to the conference theme by highlighting interests and influences that shaped the founding, workings and receipt of the Bolton Committee and its Report.

Aim: The significance of the Bolton Committee is acknowledged by researchers but this study aims to extend current work by exploring the interests that shaped the founding, workings and receipt of the Bolton Committee and its Report, which has influenced small business policy in Britain.

Methodology: Resources held in The National Archives of the UK were searched for records and materials related to the Bolton Committee. Documentary evidence was supplemented by contemporary sources and subsequent analyses.

Contribution: The paper sets the Committee and its work in a wider context, providing insights on how the Committee and its Report took shape and how understanding this might inform our thinking about the relationship between government and small businesses in Britain.

Implications for policy / practice: The paper sheds light on an inquiry that had implications for how small businesses became viewed in policy terms.