Small businesses are being short-changed by the government when it comes to recognising workplace training, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The UK’s biggest business organisation says it welcomes the focus on improving skills from John Denham's consultation on the right to training time, launched today, but said that it should be easier for micro business owners to get the work-based training they already offer to be formally recognised.

The FSB pointed out that, in a survey of just under 20,000 small businesses, nearly four out of five (76.4%) said they already offer formal training.

Colin Willman, FSB education and skills chairman, said:“We support the government’s efforts to get more people into training, but employers should have the final say based on the needs of the business.

“The government could certainly do a lot more to make it easier for small employers to get the on-the-job training they already offer accredited.

“At the moment the process is too expensive and too bureaucratic for many small businesses to cope with. The vast majority of businesses do not have an HR department to handle these issues.”