Yorkshire and Humber Policy Unit

Welcome to the website of the Yorkshire & Humber Policy Unit. FSB Policy Units were created in 1998 in response to Government moves to give the regions a greater say in their own development through the formation of Regional Development Agencies and Regional Assemblies. 

Within Yorkshire and Humber, the FSB has over 16,000 members who each belong to one of the many branches within South and East Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

As the region is diverse, so follows our membership, with businesses covering a wide spectrum ranging from farming based enterprises, tourism, traditional manufacturing, through to high technology and service companies.

A major role of the FSB's Yorkshire & Humber Policy Unit has been to work alongside regional bodies including Yorkshire Forward, the Government Office for Yorkshire & Humber, the Joint and Thematic Boards, and others ensuring the views of small businesses are both heard acted upon.  Following recent developments, the FSB is now taking a keen interest in, and actively engaging with the new Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) that are emerging to take the place of our Regional Development Agency.

Janice N Haigh

Yorkshire & Humber Policy Chairman

What's New

The FSB, working with the European Small Business Alliance has had a written declaration tabled in the European Parliament.   

In January 2007, the European Commission presented a far-reaching Action Programme for the reduction of administrative burden in the European Union, in which it committed itself to reducing red tape on European businesses by 25 per cent by 2012.

However, only a small percentage of the plans to reduce administrative burdens have been realised.  The overall cost of administrative burden on businesses in the EU is estimated at 123.8 billion Euros or 3.5 per cent of EU GDP.  The FSB's campaign and written declaration is that 'We need action, not words from politicians'.

The FSB is delighted that as at the end of November 2010, 87 MEPs from 25 Member States have supported our declaration.  Pictured here is Timothy Kirkhope MEP for Yorkshire & Humber signing the declaration in Strasbourg.

We are currently urging other MEPs for Yorkshire & Humber to sign the declaration. 

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