The latest UK Small Business Index from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows smaller companies are exuding a higher level of confidence at the turn of the 2012/13 financial period compared with the same time in recent years. However small and medium businesses (SME) in Scotland are lagging behind those south of the Border, despite a boost in confidence over the last 12 months. The index for the last quarter dropped by 1.1 points against the previous quarter.