SMALL firms in Worcestershire and Herefordshire should demand their fair share of public sector contracts, according to a leading business organisation.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) says companies are missing out on billions of pounds of public sector contracts because the current system for advertising these lucrative Government deals does not work.

"Across the whole of Europe, public sector spending is now worth 1,429bn euros, or close to £1,000bn," said Angela Smith, FSB spokeswoman for the region.

"Tenders are advertised in huge documents that small firms do not have the resources to trawl through and contracts worth less than £100,000 are not advertised at all.

"Approved Supplier Lists are also widely used, although how a business gets on to these lists is shrouded in mystery."

The FSB's comments form part of a response to a European Commission Green Paper, published in January, that investigates why start-up and business growth rates in Europe are much lower than in the United States.

The FSB wants all public sector contracts to be widely advertised and for businesses to be allowed to register their interest at any time without having to fill out excessive paperwork or fulfil a raft of requirements.

A full copy of the FSB's response to the Green Paper is available from Elizabeth Start on 020 7592 8123 or email: elizabeth.policy@fsb.org.uk

The FSB has 180,000 members and exists to protect and promote the interests of the self-employed and all those who run their own business. For more information click on: www.fsb.org.uk