Government funding is needed as the credit crunch¹ threatens a generation of small high-tech² companies, a business investment group warns.

一项商业调查显示，信用紧缩正威胁着一批小型高科技公司，政府急需资金投入。

 
Hi-tech companies are facing a lack of investment, it is argued

The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts says the UK could lose its global standing³ in areas like healthcare and biotechnology（生物技术）.

There was a 70% fall in new venture capital funding last year, it says.

PM Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson are to set out industrial investment policy later.

The body, Nesta, says the government must step in and go half-and-half with the private sector⁴ to provide £1bn for high-tech investment.

The report identifies healthcare, green technology and digital media as sectors⁵ where the UK could lose its leading international status unless the government offers support.

Nesta also urges Chancellor⁶ Alistair Darling to use the government's multi-billion fiscal⁷（财政的） stimulus⁸ package to support lending to companies working on new technologies.

'Serious consequences'

It said: "The effects of not investing in these sectors are serious.

"If the innovative⁹（革新的，创新的） capacity of our healthcare sector weakens, over £8bn worth of pharmaceutical¹⁰（药品的） exports and over £1bn of domestic sales could be lost annually¹¹.

"The cost to the NHS and to society in terms of poorer health outcomes would be considerably¹² larger.

"Failing to capture a share of the global market for clean technologies and environmental services similar to that which we enjoy in other important export markets, and falling behind with plans for renewable energy production, could lead to a loss of over £28bn in revenues.

"Failing to step up to the digital challenge in our creative economy could cost the UK economy over £6bn in value added per year by 2013."

Meanwhile, a minimum wage freeze has been called for by business leaders as part of measures to help private industry drive the economy out of recession.

The British Chambers¹³ of Commerce wants more supportive measures in the forthcoming（即将到来的） Budget, including cutting small businesses' corporation tax.