Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many complaints have been (a) received and (b) resolved by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner in each year since it was founded.

Since established in December 2017 - 31st March 2022, the OSBC handled 641 complaints, plus 772 enquiries. Annual reports give further information, available here:

https://www.smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk/?s=Annual+report.

The number of small businesses contacting the OSBC during the last financial year was 261. This included 113 complaints and 148 enquiries, of which 12 complaints resulted in the OSBC assisting in payment being made. Furthermore, 75 small businesses approached the OSBC for help with payment issues outside of the Commissioner’s scope.

The remaining complaints were dealt with through informal interventions or were signposted to other alternative support providers.