Training Help For Small Businesses

The government said this week that it would channel more training funds to small businesses and pay small business suppliers promptly to help them through an expected economic downturn.

£350 million of a pre-existing training programme would be devoted to training the employees of small businesses over the next three years.It committed to pay the bills of small business suppliers within 10 days, instead of the previous 30 days, helping their cash flow.

Skills Secretary John Denham said in a statement."Small businesses are an important engine of our economy and we must make sure that we support them during tough economic times,"

Ministers have also said they will talk to other banks about maintaining credit to small businesses.

Conservative leader David Cameron called on Monday for immediate tax breaks for small businesses as he vied with the government over the best way to deal with the economic downturn.