In March 2008, HM Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) issued a document aimed at establishing how the EIS scheme could be made more accessible both to investors and to companies seeking finance.

The Government requested responses on a range of topics including how the scheme can be simplified, how administrative and regulatory burdens can be reduced and how awareness of the scheme can be raised among potential users.

Martin Sherwood, a director of EISA, comments: ‘The EISA has been in close touch with HMRC since the consultation process was first mooted in 2007. We are now asking our members to respond to us with their views by the end of April and will be making a formal written response to the consultation document by the end of May.’

For more information about the Enterprise Investment Scheme, visit .gov.uk