Archive for March, 2014
Tuesday, March 25th, 2014
A fall in petrol prices pushed the UK inflation rate to a new four-year low of 1.7% last month, figures show.
It is the second consecutive month that the Consumer Prices Index rate has been below the Bank of England’s 2% target, having stood at 1.9% in January. Inflation measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI) fell to 2.7% in February from 2.8% the month before.
Average petrol prices fell by 0.8p a litre between January and February, compared with a rise of 4p a year ago. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said diesel prices dropped by 0.8p a litre, compared with a 3.7p increase the year before.
The fall in the rate of inflation means that the gap between pay increases and the rise in prices is narrowing. Average total earnings rose 1.4% in the three months to January, compared with a year ago, according to the ONS’ latest figures and public sector workers saw a rise of just 0.9% in the same period, but private sector pay growth was 1.7%, meaning it has already caught up with the increase in prices.
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted that the figures support the government’s economic strategy. He wrote, “Our long term economic plan is helping provide stability and security for hard-working people.”
Economists said the fall in the inflation rate was likely to underline the Bank of England’s message that there is no rush to raise interest rates.
As well as the impact of a drop in petrol prices, the ONS said the price of clothing and footwear had also increased at a slower pace than the same period last year, and energy bills also had a downward effect on inflation. However, the price of furniture and home furnishings rose by more than last year, the ONS said.
Friday, March 21st, 2014
George Osborne delivers his budget for the makers, doers and savers of Tamworth.
Yesterday saw The Chancellor deliver his Budget in the House of Commons and I want to tell you what these new measures could mean for you and other Tamworth residents.
Budget Day started with the excellent news that national unemployment is down again and in Tamworth unemployment is down 731 compared to this time last year. That’s more people in work and fewer people claiming benefits in our town.
Yesterday’s Budget was good news for people who work hard, get on and do the right thing. There was a further income tax cut for hard working people, the biggest shake up of pensioner and saver support for a generation. And another freeze in fuel duty and another penny of a pint. All income tax payers up to £100,000 will benefit.
The past few years have been a tough time for the people of Tamworth and the country. At the change of Government Britain had the worst structural deficit of any advanced country and the biggest this country has seen in peacetime. However tough decisions have been taken and we are now starting to see this pay off. In Tamworth there are more jobs, fewer taxes and more help for working families all this means you can keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket. I believe yesterday was another step in ensuring Britain’s economic future and delivering for Tamworth.
Please scroll down for more information on yesterday’s Budget. A complete copy of the Budget can also be seen by clicking here.
Christopher Pincher
Your Member of Parliament
Thursday, March 20th, 2014
At Prime Minister’s question time in the House of Commons yesterday, local MP Christopher Pincher, informed the House of the news that BMW it is coming to Tamworth and bringing with it 100 skilled new jobs.
Mr Pincher also asked the Prime Minister if the next time he is in the midlands he will come to Tamworth and commend our local enterprise partnership and Tamworth borough council for helping to deliver our long-term economic plan and make Tamworth the place in the midlands to do business.
Christopher Pincher said, “This week, BMW announced that it is coming to Tamworth and bringing with it 100 skilled new jobs. That is on top of the hundreds of new jobs that are already in the pipeline.
“When my right hon. Friend is next in the midlands, which is the manufacturing heart of our country, will he drop into Tamworth and commend our local enterprise partnership and Tamworth borough council for helping to deliver our long-term economic plan and make Tamworth the place in the midlands to do business?”
Mr Cameron replied, “I am always delighted to visit Tamworth, not least to pay homage to the statue of Sir Robert Peel. I would be happy to go back and do that.
“What my hon. Friend says about the manufacturing revival is important, because we really can see it now in the west midlands, with the news from Jaguar Land Rover, the new engine plant that is opening up, and also what he says about BMW.
“One in four BMWs, I think, now has a British-made engine. That is great news for what we want to see: more jobs making things, more jobs exporting things, and a manufacturing revival in the UK.”
BMW’s plans to build a purpose-built luxury dealership, service workshops and parts centre and create almost 100 jobs at Cardinal Point, part of the Ventura Park Employment Area, were given the go-ahead by Tamworth Borough Council’s Planning Committee on 11th February.
Thursday, March 20th, 2014
Yesterday I set out my Budget for building a resilient economy.
It is part of our long-term economic plan – a plan that is delivering economic security for families up and down the country.
We have come a long way. The independent forecasts show growth is up, jobs are up, and the deficit is down. But the job is far from done. I haven’t shied away from telling the British people about the difficult decisions we face. And just because things are getting better now, I haven’t shied away from it today either.
The deficit is down by a third, and in the coming year it will be down by a half. But it is still one of the highest in the world – so we are taking action to bring the deficit down further.
Investment and exports are up. But we’ve got twenty years of catching up to do – so I have backed businesses who invest and export.
Manufacturing halved under Labour, with all bets on the City of London. But manufacturing is growing again, and jobs are being created across the country – and we’re doing everything we can to support that.
And while as a nation we’re getting on top of our debts, for many decades Britain has borrowed too much and saved too little. So today, I have made sure hardworking people keep more of what they earn – and of what they save. Support for savers is at the centre of this Budget.
With the help of the British people we’re turning the economy around. Our goal is economic security for the families of Britain – and today, with this Budget, we take another step towards it.
On Saturday, I hope you will help spread this message and get involved in one of our Campaign Action Days across the country – click here to find out more.
Thanks,
George Osborne
Wednesday, March 19th, 2014
Chancellor George Osborne has made tax-free savings in ISAs more generous and unveiled new pensioner bonds.
Tax changes for low and middle-income workers also featured in his Budget. The amount people earn before tax will go up by £500 to £10,500 and the 40p tax threshold will go up.
The chancellor froze petrol duty, cut bingo duty from 20% to 10%, froze duty on Scotch Whisky and cider and cut a further 1p from a pint of beer – but put the price of cigarettes up.
Cash and stocks ISAs are to be merged into a single New ISA with an annual tax-free savings limit of £15,000 from 1 July. The limit for Junior ISA will be raised to £4,000.
He also outlined a new Pensioner Bond paying market leading rates to be available from January to all over 65s, with interest rates of 2.8% for one-year bonds and 4% for three-year bonds.
Other measures announced in Mr Osborne’s fifth Budget speech include:
- A scheme to boost exports – doubling the amount of finance available to £3bn
- An extra £140m for repairs and maintenance to flood defences and £200m for potholes
- Scrapping VAT on air ambulance services and inshore rescue boats
- Scrapping inheritance tax for members of the emergency services who “give their lives protecting us”
- A five-year cap on structural welfare spending from 2015, starting at £119bn and rising in line with inflation. It excludes pensions and Job Seekers Allowance
- A new “garden city” at Ebbsfleet in addition to plans for more new homes
- Stamp duty on homes worth more £500,000 to rise to 15% for those bought by companies, as part of tax avoidance measures
Mr Osborne also unveiled plans to support economic recovery – including tax breaks to boost productivity, exports and manufacturing.
He said Britain was growing at a faster rate than any other advanced economy – revising growth forecasts up to 2.7% in 2014 – but he warned the job of recovery was “far from done.”
He told MPs, “We are putting Britain right but the job is far from done. This country still borrows too much; we still don’t invest enough, export enough or save enough. This is a Budget for building a resilient economy. If you’re a maker, a doer or a saver this Budget is for you. It is all part of a long term economic plan, plan that is delivering security for the people of this country.”
He said the Office for Budget Responsibility was forecasting that the economy would overtake its pre-crisis peak later this year. The deficit would be lower than expected this year at 6.6% – and he said the government was on track to post a surplus of 0.2% in 2018/19, according to the OBR forecasts.
On the plans for a cap on welfare spending, he told a packed House of Commons, “Britain should always be proud of having a welfare system that helps those most in need. But never again should we allow its costs to spiral out of control and its incentives to become so distorted that it pays not to work.”
Mr Osborne insisted before the Budget that deficit reduction remained his number one priority, with the ultimate goal of delivering an annual budget surplus before 2020. Critics say he has missed targets and has borrowed billions more than originally planned in 2010.
In the run-up to the Budget, the government announced plans to offer up to £2,000 in subsidised childcare to working families after the next general election, a proposed rise in the hourly minimum wage to £6.50 and an extension of the Help to Buy Scheme for aspiring homebuyers.
Wednesday, March 19th, 2014
The number of people out of work in the UK fell by 63,000 to 2.33 million in the three months to January 2014, according to official figures.
The unemployment rate now stands at 7.2% of the population, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The number of people in employment rose to a record 30.19 million, helped by a rise in the number of self-employed.
Average earnings also increased, with pay in the three months to January up 1.4% from a year earlier. The number of employees in work fell by 60,000, but 211,000 more people were recorded as self-employed.
There was better news for young people, as the number of unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds stood at 912,000 in the three months to January, a drop of 29,000 and the lowest level since 2011.
In February, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance fell by 34,600 to 1.175 million. Over the course of a year, the number has dropped by 363,200.
Employment Minister Esther McVey said the overall fall in unemployment showed that “the growing economy is helping record numbers of people to find a job.”
She said, “The rise in employment is being fuelled by businesses and entrepreneurs across the country who are feeling increasingly confident with the improving economy,”
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted, “Another significant fall in unemployment is a sign our long-term economic plan is working, providing security and chances for hard-working people.”
Friday, March 14th, 2014
During yesterdays Business of the House debate Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, asked the Leader of the House for a debate on science and technology skilling.
Christopher said, “May we have a debate on science and technology skilling, because over 30% of the 200 businesses I have polled in my constituency were concerned about the science and technology skills of their new recruits?
“A debate would enable us to discuss how we can improve those skills and help businesses in places like Tamworth, which has an unemployment rate of just 2%, find the resources they need.”
The Leader of the House of Commons, Andrew Lansley MP, replied, “I agree with my hon. Friend. This is very important. He will recall the initiative just last September of a £400 million fund, £200 million from the Government matched by £200 million from the private sector, for university science departments to develop world-class facilities so that Britain can meet the science industry’s demand for highly skilled young people.
“In my constituency, only last week recruitment was taking place for the first entry to the university technical college in Cambridge, which is offering courses and places focusing on life sciences training for young people, and similar things are happening in other places. We need these developments, and we are very much aware of the demands coming from industry for those kinds of skills. I hope in Tamworth and elsewhere we will increasingly be able to support the places that are required.”
Friday, March 14th, 2014
Yesterday in the House of Commons Tamworth’s MP, Christopher Pincher, invited the Speaker of the House to attend the upcoming free St George’s day festival and called upon the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to support the event and encourage other local authorities to follow Tamworth’s lead.
Mr Pincher said, “In a few weekends’ time, Tamworth council will hold its 10th St George’s day festival, which is a great day out for all the family and a boon to local businesses. Feel free to come along, Mr Speaker, if you wish.
“Will my hon. Friend support that initiative and encourage other local authorities to follow Tamworth’s lead, which makes the best use of our heritage assets and encourages local people to take a greater interest in the local history and traditions?”
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Edward Vaizey MP, replied, “The Tamworth St George’s day festival is renowned throughout the country, if not the world, and I hope that many councils across the country will be looking at how Tamworth uses St George’s day to highlight its incredible heritage assets.”
Click here for more information on Tamworth’s St George’s day festival
Sunday, March 9th, 2014
An additional £140m is to go to councils in England to repair roads damaged by the bad weather, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has said.
A fund for areas with the most severely damaged roads will get an extra £36.5m – taking the total available to £80m and a further £103.5m will be shared between English councils for repairs.
Mr McLoughlin said the money would make “a real difference”. The Local Government Association said the cost of storm repairs would be more than £140m.
Downing Street said the extra money brought the total government investment in road maintenance to more than £1bn in 2013/14. The investment comes after the wettest winter on record in parts of the UK caused widespread devastation to sections of the road and rail network.
The Department for Transport has said the additional money will be distributed to the majority of councils in England by the end of the week. Work should be completed before the summer holidays, it said.
Councils will be required to publish information on their websites by the end of August showing where this money has been spent.
Mr McLoughlin said, “This extra money will help make a real difference to the millions of road users and local residents who rely on local roads, giving them safer and smoother journeys.”
The Prime Minister said the government could afford to pay for the road repairs because of savings already made.
Mr Cameron said, “It’s because of the difficult decisions we have made on public spending that we can afford to repair roads damaged by the severe weather as part of our long-term economic plan to secure Britain’s future and help hardworking people.”
Thursday, March 6th, 2014
More Staffordshire people are to get treatment for alcohol and drug addiction under new contracts announced by Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council.
Around 20% or 400 more people, up from 2,100 to 2,500, will be in treatment at any time and will benefit from better, more joined up services designed to treat the root causes of their addiction as well as their physical dependence.
The new approach was made possible by last year’s transfer of public health responsibilities to the County Council. It will also improve collective work with the police and health partners to prevent drug and alcohol abuse, which costs Staffordshire an estimated £110m every year – around £60m to the NHS and councils through ill health and social care; £20m to the criminal justice system; and £30m to employers in sick days and lost productivity.
Working within its new public health responsibilities, the county council along with police and health partners agreed a new long-term strategy to reduce the negative impact on public services and the economy. More importantly, the plan aims to reduce the human cost of alcohol and drug abuse on individuals, families and communities across Staffordshire.
Robbie Marshall, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing on Staffordshire County Council, said, “If drug and alcohol abuse goes untreated, it can ruin lives, harm families and damage communities across Staffordshire. Alcohol and drugs are one of the main causes of crime, anti-social behaviour, ill health and domestic abuse including child protection issues.
“It is essential the county council and its partners do more to turn around people’s lives and reduce the burden on local taxpayers. Under these new arrangements we will work smarter and closer together, spending the same amount of money but making it go even further.
“More people will get treatment with services improved and targeted to tackle the root cause of the problem. So in addition to treating drug or alcohol addiction, people will get more targeted help to find work or housing, or to deal with breakdowns in relationships, issues that often lead to drinking or drug taking in the first place.
“Simplified contract arrangements with the new provider cut duplication and mean we can deliver more for the same amount, and deliver real value for money to the Staffordshire taxpayer.”
Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said, “Drug and alcohol treatment is not something that organisations can tackle working in silos but rather through a joined-up approach, as seen here, which also offers value for money for Staffordshire taxpayers.
“Breaking the cycle of addiction is a key part of working with offenders and families who often have chaotic and dysfunctional lives. By doing this, local communities will benefit as crime will reduce faster, wider and for the long term.”
A review last year revealed that partners currently ran 30 contracts for drug and alcohol treatment with 10 different providers. The new approach streamlines arrangements into just three contracts to reduce duplication, splitting the county into north, west and east.
Following a competitive tender exercise, the contracts have been awarded to Addiction Dependency Solutions (ADS), a charity with over 30 years of experience across Staffordshire, the Midlands and the North of England. The contracts, which are part funded by Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and GP consortium the North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, are worth £6.7m a year.
A fall in petrol prices pushed the UK inflation rate to a new four-year low of 1.7% last month, figures show.
