FSB welcome Assembly report on economy

The North’s largest business organisation, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has welcomed the Assembly Preparation for Government Economic Subgroup Report, which is to be debated this week.

“We are delighted that the committee has clearly been listening to our concerns and its conclusions clearly reflect much of the FSB’s policy agenda that we presented to them in July,” said FSB policy chairman Wilfred Mitchell.

“It is a positive development that this report has the support of all of the main parties in the Assembly.

”The FSB hopes that this report will form the basis of a radical economic programme for government for a future Assembly administration to enable them to hit the ground running in tackling the economic challenges that Northern Ireland faces.

“Our policy on Research & Development, small business rates relief and the need for a single economic department have all been included in the reports conclusions.”

Mitchell did sound a note of caution however regarding the financial package on offer.

“However the committee needs to be much more specific on several areas such what a future financial package will look like and we welcome the fact they are continuing their work in this area in the weeks ahead,” he said.

“It is our hope that the talks in Scotland reach agreement as the business community have long agreed that having our locally elected Assembly, with local ministers who are better placed to understand the problems that we face.”