LONDON: The UK’s 5m small businesses have called on the Treasury for help to enable them to find skilled staff, negotiate the complex tax system and boost exports.
Citing levels of numeracy and literacy as “a real concern”, Mike Cherry, policy director at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Young people need to be ready and equipped for the world of work.” The FSB has published its requests to George Osborne ahead of the chancellor’s Budget statement on July 8.
Before the election in May, the Conservatives launched a small business manifesto to counter claims that their main focus was on big companies. David Cameron promised small business leaders he would keep taxes low, cut red tape, treble the number of start-up loans and invest in infrastructure such as fast broadband.
