Red tape is hindering manufacturers in Sussex.

Two-thirds of firms in the county believe their future is in jeopardy because of legislation and restrictions, according to research carried out by The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services.

The research among directors and senior managers found 80 per cent did not believe the Government had the policies to turn UK manufacturing around.

Seventy-three per cent said government policies were a major factor preventing companies from investing.

Sixty-nine per cent said the Government was not supporting the manufacturing sector.

Most businesses believed policies designed by the Labour Party would not help industry recover, even though manufacturing was critical to the UK's economic survival.

There was further negative feedback on the European Union, with 60 per cent believing EU legislation would hinder manufacturing further.

Three out of four firms said they did not believe joining the single currency would improve opportunities for UK manufacturing.

Thirty-six per cent of bosses believed manufacturing in the UK was doomed and the majority did not believe the Government or schools were providing the necessary resources for the sector to recover.

Less than half of those surveyed believed management was to blame.

This illustrates manufacturers ascribed the majority of their sector's problems to external influences and, specifically, government policy.

Peter Torrance, marketing director of RBS commercial services, said: "As we can see, most directors believe that not enough is being done to protect manufacturing from decline."