Weekly Brief 6 of 2009              Friday 13 February 2009

In this week's issue: Small business support; regulation; post offices; awards; FSB new media centre; technology; procurement; energy saving tips.

Small business support

An FSB member survey this week found that recent VAT cuts, bank lending guarantees and pledges on payment practices are not helping small businesses. Our concerns were widely reported in the Financial Times, the Metro, the Independent, The Times, the Guardian, on BBC News and local radio and television. Read the press release.

Regulation

FSB National Chairman John Wright spoke up for small businesses at Prime Minister Gordon Brown's National Employment Partnership in Downing Street on Tuesday. He warned that passing new laws this April could cost small businesses nearly £800 million a year, as reported in the Metro and on Channel 4 News.  Read the press release.

Post Offices

The FSB has joined a coalition of lobbying groups to call for a Post Bank built on the Post Office Network. Forming a Post Bank will help to prevent any more post office closures and strengthen community banking. The FSB's future work with the group, named the Post Bank Coalition, will be guided by our post office survey. So if you have not already filled it in, please complete the survey and let us know your views.
 

Parliamentary Researcher of the Year

The House Magazine's Parliamentary Researcher of the Year Awards' ceremony - an FSB sponsored event which was our brainchild three years ago - was held at the Atrium in Westminster this week.  FSB National Chairman John Wright presented the FSB Special Award and Overall Researcher of the Year prize. FSB Policy Chairman John Walker was also in attendance. Find out who the winners were on the FSB website.

Media Centre

The FSB has redesigned its online press section. New features include a podcast and press release feed to which users can subscribe and receive regular updates via email. Visitors to the site will also find our latest television and radio coverage and a twitter feed which includes daily updates on our activity in parliament and in the press. Visit the media centre.

Technology

E-Skills (The Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology) is inviting small and medium sized IT businesses to a half day workshop to share their thoughts about training and career development in IT. The programme takes place at the E-skills offices, 1 Castle Lane, London, SW1E 6DR on Thursday 26 February between 10:15am and 2pm. (refreshments from 9.45am, lunch provided). Contact Julie Feest for more information.

Procurement

Small firms across the UK are being urged to sign up to the Government's Supply2.gov.uk website and to take advantage of the thousands of Government contracts available.  Over 123,000 companies have already signed up to the website, which provides an up to the minute database and free alerts on Government contracts for small businesses.

Energy saving

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched 10 top tips to help small businesses save cash, carbon and water. It forms part of the Government's ‘Real Help for Businesses Now' campaign, the tips can be found on the businesslink website.

Have a good weekend,

Marc Shoffman