News from PracticeInsure

Government urged to act on small firms' cry for help
Mon 23rd Feb 09 - 15:30

Shout99 have recently published an article as follows; "A leading accountancy body has called on the government to respond promptly to 'a cry for help' from small firms.

In welcoming the recent Anderson Review which recommends ways to improve government advice to businesses, Clive Lewis, Head of SME issues at the ICAEW, urged the Government to provide better information on compliance issues for small firms.

The Anderson review revealed that three quarters of SMES struggle to find information about whicb regulations apply to their business and that as many as half do not use any source of advice on regulation.

Mr Lewis said: "Clear and easily accessible information from the Government that businesses can have confidence in is clearly something small businesses are desperate for.  Health and safety and employment legislation is extremely complex and businesses need to be confident the information given by official sources is correct and something they can reply upon if prosecuted or sued by employees.

Despite the credit crunch and the recession being centre stage at the moment, I would urge the Govrnment to respond promptly to this report.  Businesses deserve, and clearly need, help and better guidance on health and safety and employment red tape.

A tailored, insured helpline covering these areas could be set up fairly quickly, easing pressure on small businesses, regulatory enforcement sgencies and the courts."

The ICAEW's latest Enterprise survey shows that atter tax regulations top the list among the areas small businesses find the most challenging, followed by health and safety and employment regulation.  As many as 70 per cent of micro-businesses do not find the UK's regulatory and taxation environment business-friendly.

For full details please visit www.shout99.com

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