Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Business to Business Selling

19 April 2022 · 1 other contributor · 4,203 words

Opened by Mark Pawsey Con Rugby

Responding minister: Lee Rowley

EconomyEmploymentBusiness & Trade

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Mark Pawsey raised concerns about business to business selling in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The UK economy relies on business-to-business (B2B) selling, employing over 10 million people and contributing 1.7 trillion to GDP.
  • The pandemic has increased the skills shortage in B2B selling as traditional sales methods are replaced by digital technologies.
  • SMEs face difficulties in training staff and adopting new technologies, leading to a need for government support in these areas.

Key requests to Government

The Government should promote awareness of B2B selling in education, support on-the-job learning through courses and qualifications funded under the lifetime skills guarantee, reduce bureaucracy for growth hubs supporting SMEs, set targets for digital technology adoption among SMEs, provide financial incentives to encourage training and fund sales courses in growth hubs.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Mark Pawsey Con Rugby

The UK economy heavily relies on business-to-business (B2B) selling which employs over 10 million people and contributes £1.7 trillion to the GDP, yet faces a skills shortage with job postings for B2B sellers not adequately filled. The pandemic has exacerbated this issue as traditional sales methods are being replaced by digital technologies. There is also confusion between retail and B2B sales, leading to insufficient statistics collection. SMEs particularly struggle with training staff and adopting new technology.

Other contributors (1)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Congratulates Mark Pawsey on bringing forward the debate and recognises the importance of sales, especially with potential trade deals coming through to achieve greater economic growth for the United Kingdom.

Government Response

Lee Rowley

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Mark. I am grateful for the opportunity to respond and highlight the fantastic work that British industry and businesses do every day. I congratulate the APPG and my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby on their work in this area. The minister acknowledges the importance of business-to-business selling and the challenges it faces, especially the difficulty in procuring skilled individuals. He notes the government's recognition of the sector's value and commitment to support it through various measures such as trade agreements with Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the EU, and initiatives like Help to Grow: Digital and Help to Grow: Management. The minister also emphasizes the importance of skills development in sales and productivity enhancement for businesses.

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