Small business ‘Swamp’ of red tape and regulation – Rogerson
Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, last week met his local Federation of Small Business (FSB), in his hometown of Bodmin. The Mid Cornwall group said the evening had been a great success in letting Mr Rogerson know their views on the ways in which the Government could help small business.
Liberal Democrats are currently undertaking a wide-ranging survey of a cross-section of businesses, large, medium and small from all over the country, asking businesses how Britain can become a more competitive place to operate in. The results will be published later in the year.
Commenting after the meeting, Mr Rogerson said, "It was a great pleasure to meet with local traders whose personal livelihoods and those of the hundreds they employ are of vital importance to the Cornish economy."
"What was quite clear from my conversations with business people is that the initial evidence from our survey returns is accurate. More than anything else small businesses are fed up with the endless interference from and form-filling caused by government."
"We Liberal Democrats have long advocated sweeping away the sheaves of paperwork and inspection that weigh on small business by abolishing the relic of the DTI. Then we'd set up one small business inspectorate both to advise and inspect business, instead of the plethora of unhelpful regulatory bodies that presently exist"
The government will be publishing a Regulatory Reform Bill next year. "We'll be looking at any new proposals by the Government carefully but they must make sure that in 'reforming' regulation they do in the end regulate less, not more," Mr Rogerson continued.
"Maintaining a small business in the jungle of the market is hard enough. It's simply absurd that Ministers leave in place a further swamp of regulation and red tape to hinder their progress."
Mark Stockwood, Chairman of the Mid Cornwall Branch of the FSB added, "We very much appreciated the opportunity to speak with Mr Rogerson and we hope that this is the first of many such occasions. It is important that businesses have a forum where we can speak openly with our elected M.P. We live with rules, regulations and changes and often have to find ways to work with whatever is thrown at us. Therefore to ensure that our M.P. has a true, in depth, knowledge of the real impact on us is essential as is a regular update of an ever changing situation. Matters that are having great significance locally, such as Newquay Airport, Licensing, Planning Permission and road infrastructure were all raised in our recent lively and good humoured meeting. Mr Rogerson impressed us with his willingness to listen to us and to engage with these issues and we look forward to welcoming him to another meeting very soon."
Notes to Editors
The FSB can be contacted through Ann Vandermeulen, Regional Organiser, on 01822 833963, or emailed at ann.vandermeulen@fsb.org.uk, their website is at http://www.fsb.org.uk
