Federation of Small Businesses - FSB Weekly Brief 30

In this week’s issue: Commercial attaché winner, exporting woes, transport policy, small business immigration officers, imaginary friends, career secrecy, summer hols, electrical waste, postal changes, healthy food.

1. Commercial Attaché of the Year announced
This week the Daily Telegraph announced that María Pía Gazzella of the Chilean embassy is the winner of the inaugural Commercial Attaché of the Year Award, which was sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses. Tina Sommer, the FSB’s international affairs chairman, said: “Our commercial attaché staff work very hard for our exporters’ interests abroad and I am delighted to recognise the best from their ranks.”

2. On kinda the same subject…
British exporters and importers face paying tens of millions of pounds to comply with new European Union regulations according to The Times this week. The EU Customs Security programme, which will start in January, is part of a drive to crack down on fraud, terrorism and counterfeit products. An FSB spokesman told the paper: “Adding another hurdle will make the process even more difficult for small firms.”

3. FSB gives the Government a kick up the transport policy
The UK’s creaking road network was the subject of a vociferous letter from the Road Users’ Alliance (RUA), of which the FSB is a member, in the Financial Times this week. Steve Collie, FSB transport chairman, joined the signatories from other RUA members in calling for significant improvements to the road network to ensure the country’s long-term economic stability.

4. FSB blasts plans to penalise employers of illegal immigrants
The FSB expressed outrage at government plans to fine employers £2,000 for each employee found to be an illegal immigrant even if they had provided forged documents. An FSB spokesman told the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday: “A prosecution should only be brought where an employer knowingly hired an illegal worker. Anything more than that is passing the Government’s responsibility to police immigration on to businesses.”

5. Surprising TUC tactics to close the pay gap
The Mail on Sunday this week poured scorn on the Trade Union Congress’ proposal to allow women to demand higher earnings even though there are no male employees against whom their pay can be compared. Stephen Alambritis, the FSB’s head of parliamentary affairs, had this to say about the TUC’s ‘hypothetical comparator’ idea: “Pay comparisons have to be with a live being – a real employee. This proposal is a step too far.”

6. Should we be putting our career cards on the table?
The Times this week wrestled with the thorny question of whether employees should be open about their career plans if they intended to leave and set up on their own. Matthew Knowles, FSB spokesman, contributed to the article and plumped for honesty as the best policy.

7. The death of the summer holiday?
News this week that 23% of workers are not going to take a summer holiday, according to a survey by a workplace advice company. Simon Briault, FSB spokesman, told the BBC News website: “It is important for employees to take the time off they are entitled to. In the long run, it will be beneficial for the employee and the employer alike because it helps to reduce ill-health and absenteeism.”

8. Consultation on electrical waste laws
After much delay, the Department of Trade and Industry has finally produced a consultation paper on the amusingly-named WEEE Directive. This EU Directive requires producers of electronic equipment to take it back from consumers for environmentally-friendly disposal at the end of its working life. It will affect everybody from the mighty Sony down to the local electrical goods store that sells a small torch. More info here: www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page32448.html.

9. Changes to postage
Will you be PIPped to the post? ‘PIPped’, by the way, is a hilarious reference to Royal Mail’s new Pricing in Proportion that is being introduced for large letters and parcels based on size and weight from 21 August 2006. To find out more, please go to: www.royalmail.com/portal/campaign/content1?catId=26900662&mediaId=26900664 or if you have concerns you would like the FSB to raise, please feel free to contact Francesca Woodhouse at the London office on: francesca.woodhouse@fsb.org.uk.

10. Channel 4 series on healthy food
Channel 4 is doing a new business series on healthy foods. If you’re a small food business in need of a little guidance on how to make your food products healthier, they’d like to hear from you. For more information please email Natalie.burke@diverse.tv or call 0207 855 7439.