Unemployment is at its lowest
level since 1975, and here in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, unemployment has
almost halved since 2010. The next step is to get wage rates up and last week,
the budget did more to help people on low incomes. The National Living
Wage is up by 4.4 percent, and more people on low incomes have been taken out
of tax altogether.
The Government is also abolishing
Stamp Duty for first time buyers, and local businesses will benefit from a
business rates package.
Meanwhile, on the NHS, the
Chancellor has announced £6.3 Billion of additional funding for frontline NHS
services and upgrades to NHS buildings and facilities. Elsewhere, the freeze on
fuel duty will continue, and the Government has committed to cut down on
single-use plastics.
Finally, it is great that the Chancellor announced £36,000 of
Libor funding for the Cornwall Air Ambulance. I have been backing this
bid. I can remember when the Cornwall Air Ambulance began in 1987. It was
a great example of Cornwall's "one and all" approach because people
in Cornwall really rallied behind the idea. It was the first air
ambulance in the UK and now many other parts of the country have followed
Cornwall's lead. Since 1987, it has completed more than 26,000
missions and saved many lives and it’s great that it now has this government
support.