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 The FPB fights for fair treatment of private businesses by decision-makers and supports the profitable growth of members.
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) was established in 1977. It is a company limited by guarantee and is a non-party political organisation. We represent 25,000 UK-based private businesses, which in turn employ more than 600,000 people.
The FPB is funded by its members. We offer a range of products and services aimed at saving money for members and providing practical help with all aspects of running a smaller business.
The FPB is proud to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary in 2007. With the support of our members, we have gone from strength to strength over the last three decades, and continue to do so today.
The FPB was founded by Stan Mendham in 1977. He ran an engineering business, but became increasingly concerned by the lack of understanding by governments of the place of smaller businesses in the economy and the mounting red tape. After studying member-based organisations for smaller businesses in America and Canada, he decided to create a British counterpart.
Stan was keen that the FPB should always represent accurately the views of its members – owners of small and medium-sized enterprises. To do this, he started an approach to campaigns based on information collected through regular surveys. The FPB calls them referendums, and they are completed every three months.
The FPB's campaigns are all based on the views of members, which are collected by:
Referendum
A quarterly newsletter and ballot on three key issues. Members' comments go to their elected representatives and the results of the poll are the FPB's mandate to act.
Quarterly Survey
The FPB has more than 20 years' experience of accredited research into smaller businesses. The Quarterly Survey has been in existence since 1980 and tracks the state of smaller businesses as well as the perceived importance of crucial topics. It is conducted in partnership with the Small Business Research Trust.
Ad-hoc surveys
Includes sponsored research and e-surveys.
Member panels
Members are invited to join one (or more) of the FPB's member panels to have a greater say with policy-makers. Panellists are consulted on government proposals, invited to meet decision-makers and are used often as case studies to put members' views to the media.
The FPB would like to acknowledge the generous support from Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank in producing this publication.
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1977 |
The Forum of Private Business is founded. The basic philosophy of "the safeguard of individual choice, the encouragement of free competitive enterprise and a sense of social obligation" is set into action. The FPB gives members the vote through the first Referendum ballot. |
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1978 |
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Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's first female prime minister. |
1979 |
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1980 |
Competition Law is introduced. |
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IBM launches its first personal computer. |
1981 |
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Argentina invades the Falklands. |
1982 |
Victory! The Government accepts the FPB's proposals surrounding payment of sick pay. Referendum responses are vital in convincing the Government. |
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1983 |
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Start of miners' strike. |
1984 |
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Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Soviet leader. |
1985 |
National campaign success. The Government's White Paper 'Burdens in Business' covers no fewer than EIGHT important topics raised by the FPB. |
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1986 |
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1987 |
The FPB's lobbying results in the Department of Employment launching a simplified statement of main terms and conditions of employment (‘contract of employment'), saving private businesses time and money. |
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1988 |
Concerted pressure from the FPB wins an agreement to a maximum annual increase in rates for all businesses, with smaller firms paying 5% less than big businesses, and an extension to a five-year phasing-in process, as necessary. |
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Berlin Wall falls. |
1989 |
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Tim Berners-Lee invents ‘The World Wide Web'. |
1990 |
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1991 |
Evidence from the FPB sparks a government enquiry into banks' relationships with smaller businesses. |
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1992 |
The FPB receives praise from the then Prime Minister, John Major: "The FPB's research is always of immense value in gauging the things that matter to small businesses. I hope the FPB will continue its excellent work in promoting and protecting small business profitability." |
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1993 |
A survey of the FPB's members into crime reveals that nearly half of the 2,670 respondents had been affected by crime in the last 12 months. The FPB meets police chiefs and secures widespread coverage to highlight this important issue. |
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Sunday trading legalised. |
1994 |
Breakthrough on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Proposed changes to the SSP system could have resulted in suffering by smaller firms. The FPB steps into action and single-handedly persuades the Government to give more financial protection to those firms that suffer from abnormal sickness. |
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1995 |
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First GM food goes on sale in UK. |
1996 |
As a result of FPB-led research, the Government agrees to review the Uniform Business Rate (UBR) to reduce its impact on smaller firms. |
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1997 |
The FPB receives praise from the Prime Minister, Tony Blair: "The Government's relationship with the business community is a vital ingredient in ensuring the future prosperity of our economy … I look to the FPB as a key representative organisation … to report to Government its views on current and future policy." |
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1998 |
Victory! After 15 years of the FPB campaigning for an effective redress against late payers, the Government introduces a statutory right to interest (SRI), with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act. |
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Britain gets first minimum wage. |
1999 |
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2000 |
An investigation by the Government (led by Don Cruickshank) castigates banks for overcharging. Having considered the FPB's research and having visited members of the FPB, Mr Cruickshank heeds their views and tells the Chancellor that the banks overcharged smaller businesses by £0.5billion. |
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2001 |
The FPB supports members through the horror of the crisis of Foot and Mouth Disease. |
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2002 |
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Congestion Charge introduced in London. |
2003 |
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2004 |
The FPB thwarts attempts by the European Commission to introduce wholesale amendments to the Working Time Directive. |
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Pubs open 24 hours. |
2005 |
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The FPB's Bank Report celebrates 20 years of research. |
2006 |
The FPB's first-ever national Small Firms' Summit is a resounding success. The one-day conference, sponsored by Barclays Bank, and with the Rt Hon David Cameron MP as keynote speaker, brings together owner-managers and directors of smaller companies. |
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2007 |
The FPB successfully stops the Government's plan to scrap small firms' Statutory Sick Pay relief. |
The Forum of Private Business Limited is a company registered in England. Company number: 1329000.
FPB, Ruskin Chambers, Drury Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6HA
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Background
