Spotlight on SMEs

Isme said it serves no one to jeopardise the recovery by continuing to fritter away savings on public expenditure excess.

"This budget must focus on the transition from austerity to growth for businesses who have survived the recession and are now ready to capitalise," said Isme's Mark Fielding. "It must get the balance right between generating savings, primarily through cost savings and productivity gains rather than imposing additional taxes, which will hinder economic performance."