UK Construction minister Stephen Timms MP has committed the UK government to helping small businesses win contracts for the 2012 London Olympic Games, creating much needed UK construction jobs opportunities in the smaller construction sector.

Timms has told a small businesses conference in Leicester that they can benefit from the rollout programme for the Olympic Games and create numerous construction jobs opportunities by forming links with existing Games contractors.

At the conference he outlined how small businesses can take advantage of opportunities afforded by the Games saying: “We want to ensure that as many firms as possible can benefit from the 2012 Games. That is why we are setting out business support services that can help firms win opportunities to supply London 2012, grow their businesses for the long term and compete internationally."

The conference, ‘Taking Business Beyond 2012’, follows the recent launch of the London Business Network – an initiative aimed at matching SMEs with existing Games contractors to create work opportunities. This Network has been rolled out in regions across the UK outside of London, with support from local development agencies.