THE Government's decision to renew the Business Expansion Scheme (BES) was welcomed last night by both BES fund managers and the Small Firms Association. Although the existing limits of £5,000 per investor and £1 million per project have been retained, a new certification system for investments in excess of £250,000 has been introduced.
In an unusual move, the Government last night passed a resolution which gave immediate effect to the changes. Normally such adjustments are implemented as part of the Finance Bill.
The immediate implementation of the changes means that finance raised by funds before last April, which has not yet been invested, will be subject to the new certification system.
The Government has also changed the criteria for projects which may receive BES investments. Previously BES funds had to be targeted at companies where sustainable employment would be either created or sustained.
The certification system for investments of £250,000 or more is designed to ensure that money raised has the potential to create "additional sustainable employment, or is necessary to ensure the survival of the company and the maintenance of a reasonable level of employment".
"The changes to the BES scheme cater very well for companies at the early stage which are in some difficulties," the managing director of Business and Trading House Investment Company (BTIC), Mr John McGilligan, said. BTIC is one of eight BES funded companies in the country.
"The BES scheme is probably the last remaining genuine risk venture capital vehicle in the market," he said, adding that "the changes will probably please quite a number of people.
"The Government is trying to make it a bit easier to invest £250,000 or less," he said. "On the other hand, for investments of more than £250,000, you now really have to establish that you are creating new employment or that your company is in dire straits."
The changes were also welcomed by the Small Firms Association. Describing the new certification system as "sensible," a spokesman said that in the past the BES schemes have "been wilfully corrupted by schemes to reward executives in larger institutions".
He warned, however, that "we will have to wait and see whether the certification procedure makes sense.
He was referring to the fact that companies have to submit a business plan in order to receive a certificate. The certificate, and therefore tax relief, can then be withdrawn if the plan is not complied with.
The Minister for Finance also introduced new measures to "combat company splitting to get around the £1 million limit". In some cases companies have divided themselves into two or more enterprises which have each applied for the maximum investment of £1 million.