Business united on election agenda

BCC conference: Probably business's last chance before the general election to address political leaders

The UK's three main business groups have called on the government to promote a stronger enterprise culture.

The call came on the opening day of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) annual conference.

BCC director general Chris Humphries said that five issues headed the agenda for the next government: Skills, transport, red tape, tax and e-business.

He said the government needed to take action to ensure the right skills were available in the right place while 30 years of under investment in transport had created "crippling problems" for business.

Mr Humphries was joined in a presentation by Confederation of British Industry director general Digby Jones and the director general of the Institute of Directors George Cox - the first time leaders of the three groups have shared a platform.

'Shared message'

Mr Jones said the three business groups were sending "shared messages" and had "the same key interests at heart".

He said he was "very optimistic about the future of business Britain" but that business needed more freedom.

"All regulation distracts from the real business of doing business," he said.

He said regulations such as the working time directive and those on parental leave "seriously debilitated the ability to get on and run a serious business".

He welcomed the government's £180bn, 10-year plan for transport and called on all three main political parties to offer a "clear commitment" to those plans.

'More trouble than it's worth'

Mr Cox said that although British businesses had a slight advantage on tax over their European competitors this was being eroded.

He said that tax as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) had increased 2.5% in the last five years.

He said tax as a percentage of GDP "in the longer term should be eased down".

Tax was also getting more complex and arduous for business to administer each year.

He said the "hassle" of tax issues meant that some businesses thought employing people was now "more trouble than it's worth".

Massive task

Mr Cox said business needed "quick and light-touch" regulation if a "genuine enterprise culture" was to be created.

He said enterprise needed to be "valued and understood" but that this was a "massive task".

"We're not getting across to young people what business is really about."

The conference is expected to be the last major business event before the general election and has attracted speakers from the three main parties including Trade & Industry Secretary Stephen Byers, Home Secretary Jack Straw, Conservative leader William Hague and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy.