FSB calls for 2006 to be the year of delivery

3rd January 2006

The FSB today delivered its New Year message by calling on the Government to make 2006 a year where real delivery on measures to help small businesses is achieved. Northern Ireland’s biggest business organisation has proposed five key action points for the Government.

Wilfred Mitchell FSB Policy Chairman said:

“This year should be a year when the Government finally delivers on its promises and frees small businesses to get on with the job of creating wealth and driving innovation”

“It is our hope that 2006 will see greater political progress in Northern Ireland, with our Assembly being restored with locally elected ministers who are better placed to understand and deliver for the local business community”

“In addition we would also encourage the Government to proceed with the implementation of the Review of Public Administration and launch a public consultation on the Northern Ireland departmental structure”

“On the broader front we want the UK Government to take seriously our five key messages -giving small businesses more say in decision-making; stemming the relentless flow of new regulations and simplifying existing ones; cutting business crime; ensuring no compulsion on pensions; and clamping down on late payers while also speeding cheque clearance times.

“If the Government delivers on our five key messages, small businesses will be able to deliver even more investment, growth and job-creation.”

THE MESSAGE IN FULL:

2006 - THE YEAR FOR DELIVERY

1. Getting the voice of small businesses heard
Small businesses are the engine of job creation and the generators of new ideas and business innovation. The FSB is urging the Government in 2006 to value the contribution small businesses make by ensuring adequate small business representation on decision-making bodies and delivering a business environment in which they can thrive.

2. Red tape
The government made much of cutting red tape and regulation on small businesses in 2005 and a great deal of work has gone into looking at the administrative burdens on small businesses. In practice, however, very little has happened. 2006 must be the year to deliver real cuts in red tape. We’ve had the promises, now it’s time for the delivery.

3. Cutting business crime
The FSB’s Barriers survey shows that 58.5% of all small businesses have been the victim of crime in Northern Ireland. The FSB is calling on the NIO to deliver a key performance indicator for business crime so that the PSNI give the same priority to crime against business as they do for domestic crime.

4. Pensions
The FSB acknowledges the need to tackle the pensions’ shortfall and welcomes debate on the issue. But the Government should not be tempted to shackle small businesses with compulsory employer contributions when it delivers its response to the Turner report in 2006. Instead, the FSB believes automatic enrolment in existing and new pension schemes should be tried first, as should all other options.

5. Late payment and early payment
The FSB will publish Private Sector Payment Performance League Tables in January 2006, which will name and shame big businesses that fail to settle their invoices and pay small business suppliers in good time. At the same time, the Government should deliver on its promise to speed up cheque clearance times.

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