Catalogue description Board of Trade: Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms: Papers

The formation of the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms was announced by the President of the Board of Trade in July 1969. The previous year had been a difficult one for businesses generally and for small firms in particular, and this had given rise to considerable pressure for an investigation of the immediate position of the small firm. The Committee's members were chosen for their personal and professional expertise in the field of industry and commerce, and the Chairman was Mr. John E Bolton.

The Committee's terms of reference were to consider the role of the small firm in the national economy, the facilities available to them and the problems affecting them, and to make recommendations. In the course of its work the Committee paid special attention to matters such as the profitability of small firms, the availability of finance for them and the special functions of small firms, for example as innovators and specialist suppliers.

The Committee's final report (Cmnd 4811) was published in September 1971.