The Federation of Small Businesses Scotland published its manifesto ahead of the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, setting out its priorities for the next four years of devolved government. 

 

As Scotland's largest direct member business organisation, with over 19,000 members, we have worked hard to develop a comprehensive and practical set of recommendations to boost small business growth.

 

Over the last few years, the importance of small businesses to the economy has continued to grow, with 99 per cent of all firms now employing less than 250 people.  In our manifesto we have set out a series of recommendations which we believe will aid yet more expansion in Scotland's small business sector.

The manifesto covers crucial business issues such as skills, transport and regulation and we believe that our proposals would make a substantial contribution to achieving our shared aim of higher living standards and increased employment.

 

Our recommendations include:

 

- Doubling the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme

 

- Extra investment in transport

 

- Greater focus on vocational education in schools and colleges

 

- Opening up public sector contracts to small businesses

 

We know there are difficult choices to make and a host of competing priorities for government, but the only way to solve Scotland's social problems is to increase our poor rate of economic growth.  That's why we hope that Scotland's political parties will keep their focus on the economy up to and beyond the election.

 

The FSB Scotland Manifesto will make a meaningful contribution to the debate on how to foster economic growth and will help policy-makers over the next four years.

 

 

Click here to download a copy of the FSB Scotland Manifesto.