3 Government information and support

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The Houses of Parliament in London.

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Another important source of information about business and the economy is the government, both national and local. Several national government departments are responsible for supporting, advising and liaising with business and employers as well as implementing government policy decisions.

Since July 2016, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has the primary authority in this area with its responsibilities including industrial strategy and business (BEIS, 2021). It has a plan and set of priorities linked closely to that of the government, works with agencies and public bodies, and is, therefore, a key agent in setting the context within which all UK businesses and employers operate.

Visiting the BEIS website [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] reveals much about this policy and implementation framework but also allows you to access BEIS research into different areas of the economy that might provide you with an insight into your particular sector or issues that affect it.

BEIS is not the only government department, of course, and many others will have policy responsibilities for different areas of the UK economy. It is worth consulting these if you want to find out more about the legislation or policy that might affect your particular sector. Bear in mind, however, that a significant amount of responsibility for policy and implementation has been transferred to the regional administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so if you live in these areas you might need to widen your search appropriately.