Conservative Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne visited the West Midlands on Friday and announced plans to tackle the disastrous West Midlands Economy. The announcement comes just days after government figures confirm unemployment continuing to rise, with another 30,000 losing their jobs in October and jobless figures now standing at 2.46 million.
Of these, 618,000 have been unemployed for more than 12 months. Perhaps the most upsetting statistic is the number of 16-24 year olds out of work - 19.8% of this age group is unable to find work. All this at a time when vacancies are at a record low of 428,000, meaning that nearly six people are chasing each vacancy across the country.
For Wyre Forest, the figures show a bleaker picture. Looking at claimant counts, the number is up 97% from just one year ago - 1,270 individuals. But for each vacancy advertised, there are thirteen claimants seeking each job - double the national average.
George Osborne's proposals aim to create 55,000 new training places and jobs in the West Midlands through a process of simplification, tax breaks for new jobs, and investment in training.
Mark Garnier said of the proposals: "What is clear is that the current government's plans are just not working. That is why this country is desperate for new ideas and leadership.
"George Osborne's proposals demonstrate that we are the only party with the ideas that can make a difference. But it is important that Wyre Forest has the right MP to be able to drive these ideas forward locally and that is why I am concentrating my efforts on helping the local business community to get through this recession.
"Its time for change for our country: its time for change for Wyre Forest."
The proposals in full
GET THE WEST MIDLANDS WORKING
Our plans to Get Britain Working will create 55,000 new training places and jobs in the West Midlands, opening up new opportunities for people across the region.
We will create:
- 22,500 new apprenticeships in the West Midlands
- 11,000 extra training places in the West Midlands
- 9,000 new work pairings in the West Midlands
- 5,000 new jobs in start-up businesses in the West Midlands by abolishing the national insurance they pay on new employees
- 4,000 new young apprenticeships in the West Midlands
- 3,500 new opportunities for self-employment in the West Midlands
- 1,000 new university places in the West Midlands
These new jobs and training places will be funded by refocusing the Government's employment and training programmes, including Train to Gain and the various New Deals, and reducing the benefits of Incapacity Benefit claimants found to be fit to work.
Our Approach
A Conservative government will launch a national Work Programme which:
- Simplifies Labour's numerous and piecemeal programmes into one single back-to-work programme for everyone who is unemployed.
- Includes the 2.6 million people claiming Incapacity Benefits currently excluded by Labour's plans.
- Pays welfare-to-work providers according to whether they get jobseekers into sustainable employment of a year or more.
Recession Support. To provide extra opportunities to those looking for work, we have also announced:
- Youth Action for Work - 100,000 additional apprenticeships and training places, 50,000 additional training places at FE colleges, and 50,000 work pairing places each year for two years.
- Work for Yourself - offering business mentors and loans to support self-employment and franchising as a route back into work.
- Work Together - a programme to connect people to volunteering opportunities in their area.
- Work Clubs - places where people can receive mentoring, skills training and help to find local job opportunities.
- 10,000 additional university places next year.
- New technical schools in England's largest cities, as part of our plans for radical school reform.
Abolishing tax on new jobs. As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we will abolish tax on the jobs created by new businesses in the first two years of a Conservative Government. Any new business started in the first two years of a Conservative Government will pay no Employer National Insurance on the first ten employees it hires during its first year.
The tax break will encourage new entrepreneurs and is predicted to generate around 60,000 additional jobs over two years. Clear and simple rules will ensure that the jobs created are genuinely new.