Businesses call for minimum wage freeze

Date: 2nd March 2009

Businesses have called for a freeze in the rate of national minimum wage as part of a wider package of fiscal stimulus measures.

The British Chambers of Commerce's (BCC) National Business Recovery Plan includes a number of other proposals, including a cut in small companies' corporation taxation and the reintroduction of empty property rate relief.

Representatives from the chambers have also called for the creation of Enterprise Zones, which feature some taxation exemptions and simpler planning regulations.

Director general of the BCC, David Frost, commented: "The government's attempts to aid business recovery during this recession have so far lacked a clear, overarching strategy.

"Collectively, we need to be looking at what sort of economy we want to see in the future and importantly what action will need to be taken to get us there."

Late last week, the Federation of Small Businesses revealed that its proposal for automatic taxation relief had gained the support of more than 100 members of parliament.