Hundreds of members of the Federation of Small Businesses are to present government Ministers with a dossier illustrating how red tape is strangling them. Many larger organisations would join their voices to the complaints.

It is estimated that last year alone the government introduced 3,468 new regulations costing British business £30m per year.

There are a few pieces of regulation that are particularly singled out which include the Working Time directive, which takes hours of managerial time to administer.

In addition small business employers are struggling with new laws that require them to deduct tax and national insurance from outside contractors.

Working families tax credit and increased paternity and maternity deals are also costly to employers in addition to tougher health, safety and environmental regulations.

The Federation members hope their testimonies of life on the front line will encourage the government to target those areas of most concern.