The Forum’s head of campaigns, Jane Bennett, said: “Hopefully, the measures outlined in the Queen’s Speech will go some way to getting the nation’s finances back on track without jeopardising recovery.
“As the Forum has already argued, the compromise reached over National Insurance Contributions isn’t ideal and will still create a bureaucratic burden for smaller firms. However, it is preferable to the larger increase previously proposed by the last government.
“The proposals for the right to request flexible working shouldn’t prove too onerous for SMEs, providing the employers’ right to refuse a request with good reason remains. And the proposal for a referendum on any future EU treaty is also likely to prove popular with smaller businesses, who resent many of the regulations imposed on them by European law.”
Miss Bennett added: “In summary, the speech didn’t appear to contain anything smaller businesses should be unduly concerned about.
“However, business owners will be in something of a state of limbo until June 22, when the Chancellor will hopefully outline fully detailed taxation and spending policies in his budget.”
