According to the latest quarterly survey of 7,500 companies by the British Chambers of Commerce, economic expansion slowed in the first three months of 2015, with both manufacturers and services adversely affected.

The net balance of manufacturers reporting increased domestic orders fell from +38% in the last three months of 2014, to +27%.

The survey also found that UK companies continue to face problems in areas such as export and investment.

John Longworth, director general of the BCC, said the survey findings were “a salutary reminder that the UK still faces obstacles on the path to sustainable long-term growth”.

David Kern, chief economist at the BCC (pictured), said that the results were “satisfactory overall by historic standards” and still pointed to solid growth in 2015. However, he added that “the UK recovery remains unbalanced. While a healthy consumer sector is vital for the economy’s well-being, much greater efforts are needed to increase the contributions of exports and capital investment to Britain’s growth.”