There is widespread dissatisfaction across Yorkshire that an enterprise culture is not high enough on the Government's agenda, according to the results of a new survey.

And business leaders in Bradford describe the UK's loss of competitiveness as "serious". This was the view of more than half the North's leading entrepreneurs in Ernst & Young's seventh annual Enterpriser survey.

More than 100 top business people were quizzed as part of a UK-wide survey about the challenges they faced, their views on the economy and the Government, as well as their growth plans over the coming 12 months. The survey highlighted widespread concern about the lack of support for enterprising businesses emanating from Whitehall.

Nearly six out of ten entrepreneurs (59 per cent), the highest proportion in the country, believed that the Government gave a "low or no" priority to entrepreneurship. The figure has actually worsened over last year when 58 per cent of entrepreneurs felt that the UK had no more of an enterprise culture than it had had five years earlier.

A third of those surveyed wanted more tax advantages and 29 per cent a reduction in red tape as a means of supporting entrepreneurial activity. And more entrepreneurs in the North than anywhere else wanted easier access to funding, training and business advice. Phillip Hilling, managing partner at Ernst & Young in Leeds, said: "It is disappointing that in the Pre-Budget report middle market businesses were once again largely overlooked by Chancellor Gordon Brown. It is clear from this research that entrepreneurial businesses in Yorkshire would like a lot more support from the Government."

The findings were echoed by Bradford Chamber of Commerce. "The Bradford Chamber has been promoting the concept and practice of enterprise for a long time and we do this on a non-political basis," said president Richard Wightman.

"Many issues of concern have appeared in the survey. We're not pleased to be proved right because it shows how serious the situation has become. "