10 March 2010 | Jake Kanter
 


British inventor Sir James Dyson has described UK public procurement processes as “notoriously and torturously slow, bureaucratic and unproductive”.

In his report, Ingenious Britain, produced for the Conservative Party, the founder of household appliance maker Dyson said the Tories must “kick start” a review of public procurement if it wins power this year.

“A new government should immediately commission a detailed review to identify how the measures to promote innovative procurement can be implemented,” the report said.

Dyson called on them to overhaul procedures to boost engagement with small suppliers and stimulate growth in technology sectors.

The Conservative party must draw on international best practice, he said, and break down barriers to contracts if it is to meet its target of awarding 25 per cent of central government deals to small businesses. Measures could include boosting online advertising and breaking up large contracts.

"Sir James Dyson’s report represents an exciting and ambitious step forward in our desire to make Britain Europe’s leading generator of new technology", said Conservative leader David Cameron.

But the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said the report was too narrow. Head of enterprise and innovation Tim Bradshaw argued: “The Enterprise Investment Scheme [a scheme to help firms raise finance] should concentrate on businesses with high-growth potential, rather than Dyson’s proposal that it focus on high-tech firms alone.”