Press blamed for CBS failure

The Government has blamed the collapse of its Consultancy Brokerage Service on “hostile articles” in the consultancy trade press, including Design Week.

The CBS was planned as a national database from where Business Link advisers could source services such as design (DW 8 September).

In a letter to shadow small business minister Barbara Roche, Department of Trade and Industry minister Richard Page says of the CBS: “The scheme was launched against a background of a number of rather hostile articles on the service in the consultancy press. As a result many consultants held back from registration.”

Roche has described Page’s excuse for the 3m service’s failure as “a cop-out”.