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The British Retail Consortium has made a few suggestions for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osbourne.
The group says that the Government should use the Autumn Statement to implement a few ‘robustly pro-growth’ policies and should focus on the areas that will make a difference to consumers and retailers alike.
These include:
– A freeze on business rates in 2013, as any rise will just be passed on to the consumer.
– Abandon the planned increase in fuel duty, which would mean higher bills for businesses and customers.
– Reform of the Carbon Reduction Commitment energy efficiency scheme as it’s too expensive to implement and needs simplification.
– Permit a one-year break on National Insurance Contributions for all businesses who hire a young person.
– Ensure that minimum wage increases remain at affordable levels.
– Reinvest the proceeds of the upcoming 4G auction in to the roll-out of high speed broadband.
The BRC says that these changes will aid businesses as they face the combined challenge of slow sales, falling consumer confidence and rising costs.
“The Chancellor should avoid distractions and diversions and focus on a small number of pro-growth measures that will really make a difference to customers, employees and businesses,” said the BRC’s director general, Stephen Robertson.
??"Success is far more likely if the Government concentrates on delivering convincingly in half a dozen significant areas rather than trying to fight on a much broader range of fronts.??"Our six-point plan spells out retailers’ priorities for action that will maximise the sector’s contribution to economic recovery, through job creation, investment in communities and offering the best possible value to customers in these tough times.“
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