FSB demands more from government
Feb 09 2012
Osborne was guest speaker at the FSB annual dinner
The head of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has said that the government's ‘tentative steps’ to helping enterprise need to become a ‘giant leap’ if companies are to see genuine change in their business.
John Walker urged Chancellor George Osborne, who was guest speaker at the FSB’s annual dinner, to press ahead with actions that have already been promised to create a better environment for small businesses to grow.
Walker said that the Autumn Statement was a ‘step in the right direction’ for small firms and also welcomed the seed investment scheme set up to encourage investment in small businesses from sources other than the banks.
However, he adds, ‘Firms have yet to benefit from credit easing, still find themselves locked out of public procurement contracts and risk being unable to access the Green Deal when it is introduced in the autumn. We urge the Chancellor to keep up the pressure and be more ambitious in helping our members to grow, create jobs and flourish.’
Walker continues that confidence levels fell dramatically in 2011 and the FSB’s ‘Voice of Small Business' Index ended the year at its lowest ever level.
‘We are hopeful that the pressure from high inflation will ease as 2012 continues and that confidence will return. But, it is clear that small firms need to see action that has a direct impact on their day-to-day business if they are to grow and invest and give job opportunities to the unemployed, and especially for our younger workers to really get the recovery on a firm track.’
The chairman concludes that ultimately, the business community will judge government on its actions rather than its words. ‘The best way for the government to demonstrate its business credentials is to knuckle down and get on with implementing an ambitious agenda for growth.’
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