MP reveals small businesses are worried about tax increases

Date: 30th July 2008

A local MP has revealed that small businesses in his constituency are deeply worried that their taxes will be increased in the coming months.

Conservative MP for Huntingdon Jonathan Djanogly told the local Town Crier newspaper that he had written to nearly 2,000 businesses earlier in the year asking them about a wide range of issues.

He said that the responses showed that small companies in the area were resigned to the fact that their tax rates would rise in the future.

In fact, Mr Djanogly revealed that 90 per cent of those who responded thought business taxes would increase in the next 12 months.

"I would never claim that this was a scientific survey. However, some of the results are so clear cut that they do send a very strong message," he told the paper.

"In light of all the recent revelations about lost laptops and computer disk I was also very interested, but not surprised, to see that half of those taking part in the survey were not at all confident that any data they provided to [HM Revenue & Customs] was secure."

Recently, the Chartered Institute of Taxation said that the government should focus on the whole tax regime facing small businesses in the UK, rather than on one area at a time.