The service's network of local and regional advisors (under the auspices of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) was axed in 2011.

The online portal was replaced (along with Directgov) by the Gov.uk website on 17 October 2012, although migration of all services to Gov.uk branding took several years and the telephone helpline was retained for some time.

This government-funded scheme was designed to encourage take-up of external advice (consultancy) by small businesses, by offering grant incentives.

A Wren and Storey report concluded that £1,000 of grant assistance increased sales in a business by £30,000 and created a new job.

An alternative study by Bennett and Robson estimated that take-up of external advice trebled in small businesses with the incentive of grant provision.

In 2011, Heseltine said "I knew that there were very large numbers of small and medium sized enterprises out there who were running on the most rudimentary systems.

We wanted a team of people who could hold their hand, listen to their problems, have a working knowledge of what business is about, make suggestions, ask questions and be a friend in need."

[4] Despite being a Conservative-sponsored initiative with apparent cross party support, the proposal for a government-funded "one stop shop" immediately hit political resistance.

Reflecting on this period in 2011, Heseltine stated that "you would have the left wing, which wouldn't have any real interest in effective management of the capitalist system.

And you would have a very powerful element on the right wing of politics that would think it's a matter for the capitalist system to manage itself and government intervention, as they would call it, would be very unattractive.

[5] Initially, Heseltine approached the private sector to deliver a Business Link type service, specifically the British Chambers of Commerce.

Achieving and maintaining the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard and Investors in People accreditation was a mandatory requirement, and each successful Business Link operator was granted a three-year license.

This contradiction may be explained by the DTI directive requiring the individual new Business Link partnerships to generate at least 25% of their income from outside central government within five years of launch, with the express advice that the most likely source would be the end consumers.

It was then abolished along with the regional development agencies, although the Business Link website and the national helpline continued to operate.

[16] Various business link companies have engaged in direct competition with the private sector and with governmental organisations such as ACAS.

This includes the provision of employment law advice direct to businesses via cold calling, mail shots, emails and their websites.