MP bids to boost small businesses

OLDHAM East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams is on a mission to make life more profitable for small businesses.

The Labour MP is taking a leading role in a line-up of MPs and peers questioning experts on how to boost the economy by making it easier for smaller firms to grow.

Mrs Abrahams has already become synonymous in the business world with her “Be Fair — Pay on Time” campaign to tackle late payments by large businesses to smaller ones.

She said: “Productivity in the UK is 21 per cent lower than in the rest of the G7 countries.

“This conundrum, known as the ‘productivity puzzle’ is what we are tackling with the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group.

“There are over 2,500 small and medium-sized enterprises in Oldham East and Saddleworth and the best way I can make a difference for them is by doing all I can at a national level to identify ways to tackle the many hurdles they have to overcome in order to be productive and grow.

“During the inquiry, which started this week, we will be hearing from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), academics, banks and think tanks about how changes to business support, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), access to finance and young people’s skills could increase productivity levels in the small business sector.

“My interest in helping small and medium-sized enterprises operate more effectively was inspired by a constituent from Saddleworth who told me about his struggle with a huge, household-name company that was consistently paying him late.

“So I welcome the chance to be a part of this important Parliamentary inquiry as it is time we, as politicians, start to find ways of making life for smaller businesses, which employ the majority of people in the UK, a little bit easier.”
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