Yorkshire devolution deal would bring clarity to business

THE Federation of Small Businesses (the FSB), in common with the majority of business organisations in Yorkshire, has long argued for devolution for Yorkshire.

We believe such a deal is in the interests of everyone who works, lives and runs their own business here in Yorkshire.

To get straight to the detail, the FSB argues that the powers, duties, authorities and accountabilities with which the responsibilities for business support and economic development are discharged across Yorkshire should be devolved from central Government to Yorkshire itself.

The FSB has also long argued that throughout Yorkshire there should be a level playing field for business: common regulations with common standards of enforcement, and business rates set and collected on a common basis.

So a devolution deal that covered most, if not all, of Yorkshire would go a long way towards creating the that level playing field we seek.

Such common rules across Yorkshire would make the terms of doing business here in our region clear to all, and especially to the tens of thousands of small businesses that form the backbone of Yorkshire’s economy.

It could also be the end in Yorkshire of a postcode lottery for business support.

This is why the FSB, in recent times, has applauded the efforts of all in local government in Yorkshire who are striving to get a devolution deal agreed with Government.

We have also welcomed the attention that we know central Government is paying to all the recent developments about devolution here in Yorkshire.

So the FSB stands ready to help all the different parties involved to reach an agreement that devolves business and economic powers to Yorkshire.

The FSB hopes that others – members of both Houses of Parliament among them – will help as well because we do not want to see Yorkshire left behind other UK regions.

The FSB is watching as the businesses and economies of those other regions reap the benefits of devolved powers and the Government investment that accompanies those powers.

We may not get a better opportunity to seal the deal.