Government launches new small business forum

Small business owners and the UK's main business representative organisations met last week for the first of a new series of round table meetings to discuss key issues facing the UK's 4.3 million small and medium-sized businesses.

The new Small Business Forum will provide an informal way for the Government to engage with the small business community and an opportunity to seek the views of individuals and representative groups, on a range of policy issues.

Members have been chosen to reflect the diversity of the small business community and the wide range of issues that affect this sector.

Margaret Hodge, Minister for Industry and the Regions, who will chair the meetings, said:

"There are over four million small and medium enterprises in the UK today, 600,000 more than there were ten years ago. They account for more than half the turnover of the private sector, employ 59 per cent of the total private sector workforce so are vital to the health of our economy."

"The Government has always prided itself in its open dialogue with the business community and the Small Business Forum will be a new opportunity for me to regularly meet ten small business owners and each of the UK's main business membership bodies in an open and frank round table meeting."

"The UK is already ranked as one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business, but it could be even better. I am delighted to have this opportunity to hear the views of small and medium enterprises and their representatives. This will help the Government to work collaboratively with them to make the UK the best place in the world for small and medium enterprises and individuals in all communities who are thinking of setting up their own business."