The UK’s top banks were today accused of failing to do enough to back small businesses after figures revealed lending targets agreed with the Government are set to be missed.

CONSERVATIVES yesterday announced tax breaks worth £250 million (€272m) to new businesses, as the party’s leadership sought to put a lid on internal discontent over Europe at their annual conference in Manchester.

Ulster Bank today set up a £250m (€281.4m) Regional Fund to support small and medium sized companies in Northern Ireland through this year.

BRITAIN’s capital cleared the soggy remnants of a paralysing snowstorm as businesses counted the multi billion-pound cost.

Europe’s 23 million small businesses were today promised “less red tape and more red carpet” to help them thrive.

More supermarkets could be opened in some areas of the UK under proposals outlined today by the UK's Competition Commission to help give shoppers more choice.

The British Competition Commission today said shoppers needed more supermarkets in some areas as it outlined plans to overhaul planning rules and force grocers to sell some of their land banks.

The Federation of Small Businesses, the North’s largest business organisation, have launched FSB Care.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) today released the findings of its review of small business banking in the North.

Supermarket giant Tesco today underlined its dominance of the UK’s retail landscape after ringing up record profits of £2.55 billion.

The Federation of Small Businesses yesterday welcomed the conviction of two Doncaster, England-based insurance brokers who were found guilty of defrauding nearly 500 small business owners in the North by accepting premiums for insurance cover which was not provided.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on the European Commission to reconsider its proposals contained in the Green Paper on EU labour law.

The North's largest business organisation, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has welcomed today’s progress toward the restoration of the Assembly on May 8.

The North’s largest business organisation, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has given a cautious welcome to the announcement by British Chancellor Gordon Brown outlining details of the financial package for the North.

The Federation of Small Businesses has today welcomed an announcement by Northern Ireland Electricity that electricity prices are to drop by 3% for small business owners from April 2007.

The Federation of Small Businesses has condemned last night’s criminal damage and burglary in Belfast City Centre.

Figures released today by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) show that small businesses in the North and throughout the UK are facing a growing headache because of the complexity of employment law.

Petrol retailers in the North hit out at the British government today for rejecting the demands of MPs to cut fuel tax in a bid to wipe out a £300m (€447.5m) smuggling racket.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has today called for the views from the broader business community in the North on what format a small business rates relief scheme should look like.

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.

GORDON Brown is serious about helping Northern Ireland’s economy become more competitive, business leaders said today after meeting the chancellor in Belfast.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and legal advisers Abbey Legal have produced a guidance leaflet on how firms can avoid employment problems during the World Cup.

Northern Ireland Assembly members will stage their first debate today since Stormont was recalled for business after three and a half years.

Small businesses are under threat and jobs will be lost if postal services in Belfast are crippled by a second strike, it was claimed tonight.

Striking postal workers in Northern Ireland were meeting today to decide on an offer from Royal Mail and whether to call off their two-week wildcat action.

Royal Mail tonight confirmed it was unable to accept any Special Deliveries due to the wildcat postal strike which has all but crippled services in Belfast.

Organised crime gangs are increasingly targeting Northern Ireland’s small businesses for extortion, MPs were told today.

The North's Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) today urged Gordon Brown, the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, to address the concerns of small businesses in his pre-Budget report, to be delivered on December 5.

Mobile phone companies have been given three months to come up with a solution to the problem of users in border areas being caught for unexpected roaming charges, it was announced today.

In a meeting between the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Invest Northern Ireland Wilfred Mitchell, FSB Policy Chairman, has said that the British government must give support to small businesses in the North if the sector is to compete.

A-Level students anxiously waiting for exam results today have been urged to abandon university plans and become entrepreneurs.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in the North has received a prestigious international award in recognition of its work in protecting and promoting the interests of small businesses and the self employed.

Northern Ireland's Federation of Small Businesses has today described the decision to invest in Bombardier as "fantastic" news for the East Belfast economy.

Business leaders in the North were today urged to help police mount a new offensive on racketeers plundering millions from Northern Ireland’s economy.

An announcement made by British Chancellor Gordon Brown at last year’s UK budget still has no timetable for implementation, according to Northern Ireland’s biggest business organisation.

The Federation of Small Businesses has welcomed the joint report by Ofcom and Comreg on cross-border mobile phone calls.

Industrial action by civil servants in Northern Ireland is to continue after intervention today by the North's Secretary of State Paul Murphy failed to resolve the long running dispute.

Northern Ireland’s Big Four banks were today accused of overcharging customers, with overdraft fees ten times more than would be levied in Britain.

The euro has had a limited impact on most UK businesses during the first year of its life, business organisations said today.

A new initiative to reduce red tape, ease the burden of regulation on businesses and track down firms which regularly break the law in Northern Ireland was launched today.