SALISBURY is home to 27 of the UK’s fastest-growing smaller companies, according to the latest figures.

MP John Glen gave a speech at the launch of the The Centre for Economics and Business Research report in the House of Commons on October 20 in front of policy makers, businesspeople, entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

He said: “It is great to see that Salisbury is home to so many high growth small businesses (HGSBs).

“This report proves just how important enterprise and fast growing small businesses are to our local community.

"They are driving our local economic prosperity and making a real difference to our area.

“We need to get behind these companies to help them realise their full potential as a force for regeneration and growth.”

The 27 firms in the Salisbury area were: AGR Automation, Admiral Business Systems, Wolfstone Technology, The Property Ombudsman, I.D. Systems, Veritas Security Southern, Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum Trust, Jacqueline Webb & Co, Midas Tours, O'Marah Construction, Petcare Veterinary Practice, Janspeed Technologies, Castle Works, Star Services, The Trussell Trust, Sarum Academy, Holton Crest, Nationwide Rail, Securivin, Wardsend Medical Services, Blencowe Scaffolding, Watson & Haig Installations, Sonic Scaffolding 2000, Downes Transport, Morrison & King, Animal Friends Insurance Services, Ludlow Developments and Help For Heroes Recovery.

HGSBs represent less than one per cent of UK businesses, but one in every three new jobs in the UK and almost one-fifth of economic growth was created by HGSBs last year.

On average, these 22,470 companies created 4,500 news jobs each week in 2014 – three times more than the entire FTSE 100.