Tom Brake Supports Small Businesses

4.28.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Sep 2008

Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington is backing local businesses by signing up to the Forum of Private Business's campaign 'Think Smallest First'.

The campaign takes the government's principle of 'Think Small First' when considering business and the impact of regulations on businesses one step further by making it a priority to assess the impact of red-tape on the smallest of small businesses.

Over 99% of all businesses in the UK are considered 'small', with between 0 and 49 employees, and they contribute hugely to the British economy.

'Think Smallest First' aims to ensure that by considering the impact on the smallest businesses of any changes to government regulations no difficulties will be created for businesses of any size.

Commenting on the campaign Tom Brake said:

'Red tape and regulations often impose the same overheads and constraints on small and micro businesses as they do on large companies. Yet the smallest companies' lack of resources makes it more difficult for them to overcome the risks and deal with the administrative overheads. This campaign to make government think first about the smallest businesses has my full support.'