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Commenting on yesterday’s Budget, Ian Brinkley, director of socio-economic programmes at The Work Foundation, said:

"The Budget provided some welcome boosts to support enterprise, R&D and science, green investment, and apprenticeships for young people. It would have been better to have done more for growth in all these areas rather than cut corporation tax. Moreover, Enterprise Zones are not an effective way to rebalance regional growth. Much more will have to be done to avoid a two nation recovery.

"Over the year to December 2010 public sector employment fell almost twice as much in Northern England than Southern England. Much of Northern England has a higher share of jobs in the public sector and over the past decade has been more dependent on public sector job growth than in the South. Now these sources of job creation are being removed at a faster rate than in the South, the private sector in the North will have to generate even more jobs. It is unclear how the government can achieve this goal."

Notes to editors

1. Will Hutton, executive vice chair and Ian Brinkley, director of socio-economic programmes will be giving a Post-Budget Debrief tomorrow, Thursday 24 March from 17.30 until 18.30 at The Work Foundation. Please contact the media team if you would like to attend as space is limited.
2. Do Enterprise Zones Work? is available at www.theworkfoundation.com as is Heading for a two nation recovery?
3. Ian Brinkley and others are available for interviews and briefings.
4. The Work Foundation is the leading independent authority on work and its future. It aims to improve the quality of working life and the effectiveness of organisations by equipping leaders, policymakers and opinion-formers with evidence, advice, new thinking and networks. In October 2010, Lancaster University acquired The Work Foundation, forming a new alliance that will enable both organisations to further enhance their impact. www.theworkfoundation.com

Media enquiries:

Tom Phillips 0207 976 3554

tphillips@theworkfoundation.com

Nasreen Memon 020 7976 3507 or 07825 527 036 nmemon@theworkfoundation.com