Liverpool & Sefton Chamber has put out the call to its members to take part in what is the largest and most representative independent business survey of its kind in the UK
Businesses across Liverpool city region are being asked to contribute to the latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey (QES).
Liverpool & Sefton Chamber has put out the call to its members to take part in what is the largest and most representative independent business survey of its kind in the UK.
Important voice
Policymakers, including the Treasury, the Bank of England, the Office of Budget Responsibility, the EU Commission and the IMF, recognise the importance of the QES as the first economic indicator of the quarter, as it reliably reflects trends in official data.
In a message to its members the chamber said: “It also allows us to understand what is important to you, to enable us to better represent Liverpool and Sefton businesses, and through the chamber network, lobby government on your behalf.”
Brexit looms
One of the issue likely to be prominent in the survey this quarter is the UK’s ongoing wrangling over Brexit, which is now just months away. With the prospect of a ‘no deal’ Brexit now a real possibility, the BCC is warning of frustration of businesses at the lack of detailed information.
Commenting ahead of the publication of technical notices from the government relating to the possibility of ‘no deal’ last week, Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the BCC, said: “Businesses have waited too long for answers to some basic questions around Brexit.
Significant disruption
“They have been particularly frustrated by the lack of clear guidance on some of the issues that are within the UK government’s own control. ‘No deal’ preparations should have happened far earlier, and the onus is on Government to move quickly and give businesses as much detailed technical information as possible to avoid significant disruption in any scenario.
“Our test for the Government’s ‘no deal’ notices is straightforward: do firms now have the clarity they need so that they can continue to conduct business both here at home and across borders on March 30, 2019?”