THE Chancellor is being urged to use the Budget to focus on measures to stimulate the enterprise sector and long-term job market.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has stressed the need to focus on long-term sustainable growth, and focus on how the economy can emerge from the recession stronger.

Tim Porter, tax partner for PwC, in Newcastle, said in tomorrow’s Budget it would be beneficial to see:

● A reintroduction of a form of taper relief to encourage entrepreneurial investment;

● An increase in the reach and application of existing funding measures for business;

● Extending measures to ease loss relief;

● More incentives to invest in training and skills development;

● Easing the process for cashpoor businesses to attract and retain employees who are key to growth;

● Making tax reporting easier for small businesses.

Mr Porter said: “With UK enterprise at the heart of the economy, this year’s Budget should centre on supporting business growth and entrepreneurial investment: for the greater the overall size of the enterprise cake, the larger the slice of tax revenues the Government can take in business and employment income tax revenues.

“I’d be urging the Chancellor to look at UK enterprise in the same way as many businesses are doing and asking what steps can we take now to ensure that we come out of this economic downturn in a stronger position than our competitors? Our clients are telling us they want the Chancellor to simply let them get on with their business in a stable environment.”

■ Finance specialists from PwC, in Newcastle, will be providing anaylsis of the Budget in The Northern Echo on Thursday, and will be providing updates during tomorrow’s Budget at northernecho.co.uk