General Election manifestos focus on red tape debate
Cutting red tape for small businesses including pubs has become a focus for political debate after it was unveiled in two party manifestos.
The Liberal Democrats' General Election campaign launched with a pledge to "set small businesses free".
The LibDems have launched a mini-manifesto which outlines their plans to reduce red tape as well as their ideas on how to support pubs and other small businesses which include:
- Introducing a Business Rates Allowance to save more than 87 per cent of businesses in the UK an average of £620 on their rates bill
- A pledge to scrap 25 unnecessary regulations
- Creating a Small Business Inspectorate to help small businesses comply with legislation.
Cutting the burden of regulation for small businesses also features in the Conservative manifesto.
It proposes:
- The introduction of a Deregulation Commission to oversee the reduction of red tape
- To make small businesses exempt from some regulations
- To abolish the climate change levy which it is estimated will increase pubs' energy bills by seven per cent or an average of about £400
- A new strategy to help businesses that have suffered because of foot-and-mouth disease including interest free loans and extra money for advertising.
- Business rates cut for all rural pubs, not just those affected by the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The trade's Red Tape Group, which has been lobbying ministers to cut excessive regulation, has written to all candidates standing in the General Election to remind them of the burdens facing pubs. It is also urging licensees to lobby their candidates in the run up to the election.
The Labour Party has not yet released its manifesto.
