Parliament is now in recess and I thought it might be timely to reflect on some of the highlights of those very hectic first weeks in government. I also wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for your ideas, support and contributions which have enabled me to raise key local issues effectively in the House and with Ministers.
Our new Coalition Government which emerged after the election in May has been busy and achieved much – an Emergency Budget, a White Paper on the future of the NHS and a new future for schools, the first stage of which was encapsulated in the Academies Bill. This week I want to focus on the economy and business.
Road to recovery
Any economic recovery must be driven by private sector businesses creating wealth. To enable businesses to do that, we have to create the right economic climate. So what did we do? We reined back the increases in Employer’s National Insurance and added a new incentive for start ups. We won’t charge new employers National Insurance on the first ten employees a new business takes on for the first year while it gets up and running. We also cut the rate of Corporation Tax and made Small Business Rate Relief automatic.
But as well as kick starting growth, we had to look very hard at cutting costs. George Osborne’s Emergency Budget will balance the books within five years- an approach which has been praised by the G20, the European Council and the OECD. We have completed an in-year spending review to save £6 billion of waste – and that is just the start. We have imposed a bank levy and a public sector pay freeze on all but the lowest paid– and we have cut Ministers’ pay.
We have also launched the “Spending Challenge” to collect your ideas on how to save money. The first ideas came from the Public Sector itself – and now we are asking everyone. I launched this campaign locally in Newton Abbot two weeks ago and have been getting very positive feedback. One of the issues raised at these meetings and my surgeries is the tax system – it’s too complicated and just doesn’t work. I now have lots of ideas for the new Office of Tax Simplification!
Steps like these and others show that Great Britain is ‘open for business’ and will help spearhead our recovery.
Talking Business
In my first term as your MP I have been busy meeting as many local businesses and local business groups as possible. We have some very active trade groups in Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Dawlish, all with different issues and concerns – but the biggest issue for big and small alike is business rates, VAT and employment regulations all of which I shall raise with the Treasury when I am back in the House.
And with our coastal towns and seaside trades, we have special issues, whether it’s regenerating Fish Quay in Teignmouth or the Harbour Commission fighting for an equal playing field with naval ports or our tourist trade fighting for recognition and support. These are musts and I will champion them in the House. Broadband services in our smaller villages are poor or non-existent and I am lobbying for that to change.
And we have some very special businesses here: Devon Doctors is a leading edge Social Enterprise, much praised by Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health; Centrax, one of the most successful family owned precision engineering businesses in the country; SRA Developments, a medical devices businesses and winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and many others including International Dance Supplies, a world leader in dancewear. We should celebrate these success stories and look for more.
Being in Touch
Many of you have contacted me or attended one of my regular surgeries seeking my help with individual problems and concerns. Over 50 of you attended my first public meeting to tell me about your ideas on how our Government can save our money or spend it more effectively. I will be holding a number of these public meetings over the next few weeks, so come along and let me know ways you think our money could be spent better, both locally and nationally, or drop me a line in the post or by email. This is your chance to tell me how our Government can get more “bang for our buck!”
There is a lot more to do but we have made a positive start on taking the necessary action to change our country for the better.