The Federation of Small Businesses policy unit for the South-East is to survey of its 26,000 members to find the full effect of foot-and-mouth disease on trade.

A special questionnaire has been created in response to a request from the South-East England Development Agency (Seeda).

Questions focus on the effects of the crisis on turnover and staff and include a section on the quality of support provided by councils, banks and business support agencies.

Colin Willman, chairman of the FSB South-East policy unit said: "If we are going to ensure that sectors, such as tourism, get the help they desperately need, we have a responsibility to provide Seeda with the with the information to lobby the Government with for additional funds."