SME printers have placed an expected ￡10bn loans fund top of their wish list from chancellor George Osborne's autumn statement but only if red tape is relaxed to make accessible to those that need it.

Osborne is expected to announce a ￡40bn growth package in this afternoon's (29 November) statement, which will include a "￡10bn credit lifeline" aimed at increasing lending to small businesses.

Print businesses have been quick to welcome the announcement but caveat the positive measures with cautious optimism.

Tim Hill, managing director of Maidstone-based display graphics printer Speedscreen, which regularly invests in wide-format capital equipment, would welcome the ￡10bn fund as long as red tape didn't stifle the company's ability to benefit from it.

"We are always sceptical of such schemes for that very reason. I don't know anyone that has been accepted onto Carbon Trust schemes due to the red tape involved.

"If I want to benefit from this new scheme, secure a deposit and invest in new equipment that's because I need it now, not in three years' time," said Hill.

Tim Lance, sales director at Slough-based design, print and fulfilment specialists X1, agrees.

"There is no point having a ￡10bn fund if the rigmarole surrounding it will make it prohibitive to the companies that need access to it," he said.

"There are many companies that could benefit from such funding but they need access to it and banks need to be more flexible as a result."

According to Nicholas Mockett, partner at Moorgate Capital, the chancellor's priority should be to reduce bureaucracy as it "costs nothing and stimulates business".

The chancellor is also expected to announce a ￡20-30bn infrastructure investment scheme, backed by loans from institutional investment in the private sector, to fund projects including roads, rail links, ports and super-fast broadband.

Paul Coggins, managing director of Print Finance, said the government has implemented austerity measures but done little to reduce bureaucracy.

"Everything takes too long, and or runs over budget. Planning permission, road building, housing projects, government contracts, all of these infrastructure projects are wrapped up in too much bureaucracy," he said.

According to Coggins, new measures need to make the government more efficient and, in turn, bring forward already committed government spending and boost the economy.

"This will result in our industry improving first, which it always does when the economy improves," he added.