With UK unemployment hitting a seventeen-year high, today's Scottish Government's Corporate Sector Statistics reveal that there are now 305,540 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) Scotland – up nearly 10,000 on the previous year.
SMEs now represent 99.3 per cent of Scottish businesses and account for 53.6 per cent of private sector employment.
Further, a recent Office of National Statistics publication showed that London and Scotland are the only parts of the UK not to see a decline in the number of small businesses.
Commenting on the figures, the FSB's Scottish Policy Convenor Andy Willox OBE said:
"Today's statistics underline that Scottish small businesses are more important to our economy and sustained recovery than ever before.
"However, we must not rest on our laurels. There are close to 12,000 more businesses with no employees this year than last. With unemployment remaining a major threat to our communities and economy, we need to help as many of these single member enterprises as possible to move to the next level and take on their first member of staff.
"It is from this broad business base that we will launch the next generation of significant community employers and world class companies."
ENDS
Notes:
- In 2010, there were 295,645 SMEs in Scotland, 9,895 fewer than there are now 2011.
- The FSB is Scotland's largest direct-member business organisation, representing over 20,000 Scottish members in every sector of the economy. UK-wide, it has over 200,000 members.
Contacts:
Colin Borland: 0141 221 0775 / 07917 628 939 colin.borland@fsb.org.uk
Stuart Mackinnon: 0141 221 0775 / 07917 628 995 stuart.mackinnon@fsb.org.uk
ISDN line available: 0141 229 0253