Small business leaders have warned Welsh government policy makers to ‘mind the gap' which is impairing the country's wealth generation potential. The Federation of Small Businesses said there was a serious funding gap for start-up businesses.

Business leaders have called for more small firms to be involved in local authority initiatives to improve communities. The Federation of Small Businesses said the views and participation of small firms was vital to the sustainability and viability of communities in Wales.

Wales' small businesses are big innovators, according to a new report by the country's biggest business group. A survey of the Federation of Small Businesses' (FSB) members in Wales for reported that over half of their members have introduced new or improved products or services over the past twelve months.

Small business leaders in Wales are urging the Chancellor of the Exchequer to kick-start a renewed government effort to combat red tape. The Federation of Small Businesses is calling for the responsibility for paying state benefits and collecting loan repayments to be returned to the experts in government agencies, such as the HMRC.

Wales' largest business organisation has called for a greater emphasis on vocational training for school and college leavers in light of recent higher education spending cuts. The Federation of Small Businesses in Wales said that slashing the number of places available in universities could also be seen as an opportunity reinvigorate vocational qualifications which had for so long been seen as second-class.