The Government has unveiled plans aimed at making it easier for SMEs to land work across the public sector, including local authorities across the West Midlands.

The launch of a consultation taking forward Lord Young’s recommendations to create an SME-friendly ‘single market’ for public procurement was announced by Cabinet Office Minister Chloë Smith.

The proposals will simplify and standardise how public contracts are advertised, bid for and paid for across the public sector.

Ms Smith has also written to Midland MPs asking them to approach their local authorities to make sure they are doing everything possible to support SMEs.

Ms Smith said: “With £230 billion per year spent on goods and services right across the whole public sector, government wants to seize the opportunity to help hard-working SMEs get on by competing for and winning this business.”

Ms Smith acknowledged SMEs had in the past been “shut out of government business” but added: “Removing barriers and setting out a consistent, single set of SME-friendly principles for the whole public sector will provide the right support to encourage significant business and growth opportunities for SMEs and help give the UK a better starting position in the global race.”

The consultation proposals include introducing a requirement for all public sector contracts over £10,000 to be accessible on the same site, banning pre-qualification questionnaires for low value public sector contracts and introducing a single standardised requirement for high value contracts.

Also ensuring suppliers further down the supply chain benefit from the same standard payment terms that public bodies offer prime contractors to ensure prompt payment for public sector wor