Commenting on the latest set of Government data on the progress being made across the economy in the South East, East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds said:
“At the election, the Government made clear commitments to deliver greater security and opportunity for people, including reforms for welfare and childcare, new initiatives for education and apprenticeships, as well programmes to help people plan for their futures through savings and home ownership.”
With a stronger and more resilient economy, more people are in work than ever before - 31.4 million across the UK - and wages are rising, up 2.2 per cent over the year:
- Employment is up by 324,000 (7.7 per cent) in the SouthEast since 2010 and unemployment is down by 22,000 in the last year, with an unemployment rate in the South East of 3.7 per cent.
- Since 2010, we have cut tax for 4 million people in the South East. The typical tax payer is now £905 better.
- The National Living Wage will give 300,000 people a pay rise in the South East by 2020.
- There are 145,000 more businesses in the South East than in 2010.
- 22,136 home buyers have been supported through Help to Buy
Learning new skills is often a key route to employment and why the Government is investing to deliver three million apprenticeships in this parliament and pledging an annual core schools budget of over £35 billion:
- 65,030 apprenticeships started in the South East in 2014/15 – an increase of 66 per cent compared to 2009/10. In total, 352,500 people have started an apprenticeship in the South East since 2010.
- This academic year, schools in the South East will receive nearly £287 million Pupil Premium funding to help disadvantaged children.
Damian added:
“Keepingthe country secure remains important and the Government is protecting spending on the police and counter-terrorism, and I’m pleased to see that the latest numbers show that crime in the South East has fallen by 10 per cent since 2010.
“Increased funding for the NHS is making a difference here in the South East with 2,055 more doctors and 864 more nurses looking after patients in our region than in 2010.
“There is still much more to do, but with the pledged tax cuts starting to come into effect, the new National Living Wage helping to reward work and the introduction of the Lifetime Isa and Help To Save programmes encouraging people to put some money aside for the future, we’re heading in the right direction.”