FCSA has welcomed Friday’s announcement that the Government will move ahead with its plans to appoint a Small Business Commissioner through the Enterprise Bill following its recent consultation.
Responding to the consultation Anna Soubry MP, the Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise said she wants the new Commissioner to “act as a disincentive to unfavourable payment practices, and build the confidence and capabilities of small businesses to help them to assert themselves in contractual disputes and negotiate more effectively”.
Julia Kermode, Chief Executive of the FCSA commented: “The FCSA and our members are pleased that the Government is committed to appointing a Small Business Commissioner and putting in place a clear framework to help freelancers. Now they will have a route to resolve late payment issues and other disputes with larger businesses.
“The effects of such issues can impact significantly on freelancers who simply cannot tackle unfairness and take on larger firms because they don’t have the resources and may be concerned about damaging relationships and potentially missing out on any future assignments. Because we understand the significant impact of these issues on freelancers, we felt it important to respond to the consultation. This new Government service can only serve to raise awareness and hopefully act as a deterrent for any unfair practice around contracts and late payment.”