SMALL business pressure group the Forum of Private Business is urging senior MPs, including the Prime Minister,to pledge their support for the country's smallest firms.

In particular, the Knutsford-based FPB is lobbying politicians to consider the impact of regulation on the smallest businesses at every stage of the legislative process.

The FPB is seeking support for its `Think Smallest First' campaign, calling on them to go one step further than the recently-published Small Business Act for Europe, which encourages European Union (EU) legislators to `think small first'.

More than 99 per cent of the UK's 4.5m businesses are `small' (0 to 49 members of staff); however, the majority employ fewer than 10 employees. On average, the FPB's members employ just 10 people. The FPB believes that, by prioritising the concerns of these companies, the ability of all small businesses to be competitive would be significantly improved.

Phil Orford, chief executive of the FPB said: "The key issue is that businesses at the lower end of the size scale most often lack the resources to overcome these barriers. Considering the smallest, most vulnerable firms has to be the number one priority of all politicians when it comes to legislating on enterprise."

The Small Business Act for Europe echoes many of the FPB's other arguments, including improving access to public contracts for smaller firms, reducing rates of VAT and tackling the late payment of suppliers. However, as the Act is not binding on EU Member States, there is no guarantee that its provisions will become real policies.

Mr Orford added: "More than ever, given the current economic slowdown, it is a important that Parliamentarians in the UK take the lead - and the responsibility - for the nation's smallest firms."