‘Tell us about your business’

By Simon Tostevin

Dr Andy Sloan COMPANIES are being asked to take part in the States’ first business survey later this month.

As revealed by the Guernsey Press in April, the Policy Council together with Commerce and Employment had been holding preliminary talks with business representatives with a view to establishing a model.

Those discussions are now complete and the Policy Council is now ready to launch the survey in an attempt to improve the breadth and depth of economic data available to policymakers.

Businesses will be asked for details of turnover, sales, assets owned, financial liabilities, workforce, training and pensions. Precise data on export earnings is requested and information on the levels of investment in local businesses will give an idea of the sensitivity of sectors to changing economic conditions.

The form, which goes out on 22 February, should be returned by Easter. It also asks for growth estimates for 2010 and for a view on factors expected to have an effect on growth next year.

States economist Dr Andy Sloan (pictured) said a good response would help the States with future economic planning because certain key baseline data is currently not available to the government.