AGRICULTURE

Farmers are undervalued and coming under increasing strain from excessive regulation from Whitehall and the EU.
British farmers produce some of the best quality food in the world and given current concerns about food security and ‘food miles', it is essential that consumers are able to make informed choices about the food they eat.

APPRENTICESHIPS

It is vital that micro and small businesses receive assistance to provide apprenticeships in order to increase the potential and growth in their business. However, the burden of bureaucracy often stifles the process of taking somebody on.

BROADBAND

The emergence of the internet and the potential this holds for entrepreneurship and growing small businesses is enormous. The low setup costs and instant access to the global marketplace make this revolution particularly suited to small businesses, especially in rural areas. However, many areas in the UK, especially rural areas, are being let down by poor
infrastructure and slow broadband speeds. Broadband is not an added luxury but an essential utility such as water and electricity.

BUSINESS RATES

Business rates are the only tax not related to the ability to pay and places a disproportionate burden on small businesses. To help grow the economy local authorities must promote the other forms of existing rate reliefs that exist for small businesses.

CRIME

Crimes targeted against small businesses are still a key issue for local communities. Businesses that are repeatedly targeted can be forced to close leaving communities without valuable local services and jobs. From an FSB poll we learned that 64% of businesses have been a victim of crime (at an average cost of £3,000 to each business). Still only 45% report the crime to the police because of a lack of faith in the system.

FINANCE

For small businesses, access to finance and cash-flow remain the greatest challenge.
The FSB is working closely with banks in an effort to improve understanding of the small business community and boost lending. As well as increasing lending to small businesses, rebuilding the trust between business and banks is crucial.

EMPLOYMENT

Small businesses are the key to tackling the unemployment crisis. Between 2002 and 2007 more than 84% of new jobs were created by small businesses. To its credit, the Government has, in part, recognised the important role that small businesses play in job creation. However policies to incentivise job creation currently miss the mark, and promises to simplify employment law in one area are undermined by attempts to ratchet it up in other areas.

ENVIRONMENT

The global industry in low carbon and environmental goods and services is worth £3 trillion a year, and could grow to well over £4 trillion by the middle of the next decade. However, the UK is already lagging behind many other European countries in this area and it is essential that long-term policy drivers are put in place to allow small businesses to capitalise on their potential.

EXPORTING

Exporting has been hailed as a potential driver for economic growth in the UK over the next few years. But to encourage small businesses to export, there needs to be more effective and targeted promotion of the support available for small firms, particularly for those businesses already doing a little and wanting to do more.

EUROPE

The overwhelming majority of legislation in the UK originates in the EU. The FSB works in Brussels with MEPs, Commission officials and others to ensure that this legislation is as small-business friendly as possible. The FSB also
campaigns to ensure that MEPs who say they support businesses at home, actually behave accordingly in their work in the European Parliament. The FSB has been a key player calling for the completion of the Single Market, the retention of the UK's opt out of the Working Time Directives 48 hour rule and for a significant reduction in red tape.

PARKING

Many local authorities are using parking charges as a source of revenue. Parking charge increases in town centres can have a real impact on local businesses; discouraging people to come into town to use local shops. If parking charges are turned into a short-term money grab it can have disastrous medium-term effects of the local economy and the survival of the high street.

PLANNING

In order for small businesses to grow and thrive, long-term land use plans and short term planning policy need to take into account the needs of the business community. A reformed planning system is needed which will allow us to better support our high streets and town centres and fully involve businesses when setting planning priorities.

PROCUREMENT

The public sector spends an estimated £220bn each year on procuring goods and services. Some £42bn of this is spent by local authorities. Our surveys show on average, that 27% of FSB members do business with local councils (in some areas of the country this is significantly higher). This is more than with any other part of the public sector, and demonstrates how important this area is to small businesses.

NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS

Cutting employers' NICs is the policy most likely to lead to greater job creation, and the FSB welcomed the Governments plan to exempt new businesses from paying NICs for the first 10 staff. FSB research shows that 44% of businesses would take on additional employees if the Government cut employer NICs.

TOURISM

The UK is going to be centre stage in the coming years as the Queen's Diamond Jublilee, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games, the Champions League Final, the Rugby League World Cup, the Commonwealth Games
and Rugby Union World Cup are all hosted on these shores. To capitalise on tourism and revenue that this will bring to the UK, the Government must quickly strengthen its policies around tourism.

TRANSPORT

In a recent FSB poll we found that for over 70% of members, the use of a car is crucial to their business' operation. 90% are negatively impacted by rising fuel costs, while 60% state that traffic congestion and the state of repair of the UK's roads affect their business.

VAT

VAT continues to be a problem for many businesses. With the increase to 20%, many businesses are suffering, and some sectors have seen a cut in spending. The FSB believes that the Government should be ambitious and look at measured fiscal incentives. It is clear that economies are most likely to grow and generate increased revenues for the Treasury when taxes are low.

Read more on these and all our policy issues and campaigns at our main Policy Website.