Federation of Small Businesses - FSB Weekly Brief

Week 46 of 2007 Friday 16 November 2007

In this week’s issue: Enterprise Week; skills; start-up stats; capital gains tax; flexible working; pump prices; energy costs; health and safety; pensions; smoking ban; HMRC bulletin.

1. Enterprise Week goes from strength to strength

Breaking all records for participation in Enterprise Week was going to be a tough task, but organisers of the annual enterprise jamboree appear to have succeeded this year. A total of 5,128 events were/will be held to encourage young people to get involved in entrepreneurship. The FSB is one of the founding members of Enterprise Week and got its illustrious name in the Financial Times and the Daily Telegraph this week. More info here: www.enterpriseweek.org.

2. Skills and apprenticeship pledges meet with FSB approval

Investment in skills training and apprenticeships was the lead story on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, as Skills Minister John Denham outlined plans for 3.5 million basic skills courses and an extra 150,000 apprenticeships. The reporter even found time to mention FSB Head of Public Affairs Stephen Alambritis’ view that the extra investment was welcome but that basic skills should be acquired in school. Kinda makes sense really.

3. Start-ups on the up

Kick-starting a new business is about as easy as nailing dog doo to a wall (don’t try that at home!), but it seems the UK’s entrepreneurs are sticking with it, so to speak. VAT-registered businesses increased by 2 per cent to 1.96 million in the 12 months to January 2007, according to an article in the Financial Times this week that mentioned the FSB. But once businesses are started they are remaining small to avoid the hassle of VAT registration and employment law, according to the Mail on Sunday, which also quoted the FSB. More info here: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=330368&NewsAreaID=2.

4. Branson wades into CGT battle

Ever-more pressure is being heaped on Alistair Darling over his dire plans to abolish taper relief on capital gains tax (CGT) This week it was the turn of Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin founder, to attack the plans in an article in the Sunday Times that mentioned the FSB’s campaign on the subject (see here for details: http://www.fsb.org.uk/default.asp?article=12821).The Mail on Sunday also ran a CGT story this week, quoting an FSB spokesman.

5. Flexible working review

Sainsbury’s human resources director has been appointed to review the implications of plans to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees with children. She’s likely to have a sound understanding of the needs and limitations of small businesses. Not. The Financial Times covered the FSB’s frustrations this week.

6. Fuel prices on the rise

Higher fuel prices will begin to hit small businesses hard, Matthew Knowles, FSB Deputy Head of Public Affairs, told the Financial Times this week.

7. Small firms face unfair energy deals

A headline remarkably similar, if not identical, appeared in the Sunday Express this week, as did the FSB. Info: http://www.energywatch.org.uk/bst/index.asp.

8. British Safety Council offers new diagnostic tool for small firms

Get health and safety up to scratch with a new diagnostic tool from the British Safety Council. Here’s the link: www.britishsafetycouncil.org/diagnostictool.

9. Pension contributions

Government red tape is almost certain to spiral once plans for compulsory pension contributions from employers come into force in 2012. The issue was the subject of an article in the Daily Telegraph this week, which quoted the FSB.

10. Smoking ban enforcement – your verdict

Enforcement of the smoking ban – how was it for you? The FSB’s Rosina Robson (rosina.robson@fsb.org.uk) would be interested to know if small businesses have had problems with over-zealous enforcement.

11. HMRC agents update bulletin

Reading matter for tax and payroll specialists: HM Revenue & Customs have issued their second edition of the Agents Update bulletin. It’s designed as a communication tool for tax issues and information for accountants, tax specialists and payroll service providers. You can view the latest and previous editions online using the following web link: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/agents/