Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
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BUSINESS MINISTER IN OXFORDSHIRE TO LAUNCH NATIONAL DISCUSSION AROUND BUILDING BRITAIN’S FUTURE
The Oxfordshire visit is the first of a series of regional events being held to ensure the Government is talking to all parts of Britain following the publication yesterday of its Building Britain’s Future plan by the Prime Minister.
The plan sets out a vision to ensure the UK recovers and emerges stronger from the recession while putting forward comprehensive policy for future prosperity.
It includes new measures to drive economic growth and create jobs as well as public service entitlements that will, for the first time, be guaranteed to parents, patients and communities.
Pat McFadden, Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills, said:
“Building Britain’s Future is about engaging with people on the big issues facing our country today around economic growth, jobs and better public services.
“We need to work together, the Government and the British people, to emerge from the downturn as quickly and as strongly as possible but also to build a better Britain for the future - one that’s fairer, more prosperous and sustainable.
“I know that people across the country care about these issues and my visit to Oxfordshire is a real chance for me to explain more about how we plan to build Britain’s future and consult with local people on how we can achieve that together.”
Mr McFadden will be accompanied by the South East Regional Minister, Jonathan Shaw, for a visit to the Diamond Light Source on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus – a world class scientific facility that will help create the hi-tech jobs and commercial applications of the future.
Later, the ministers will speak with local people with a stake in the economy at a session hosted by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) at the Cornerstone Community Centre in Didcot. The discussion will focus on the national as well as local picture and areas of public policy that are central to Building Britain’s Future.
Jonathan Shaw, South East Regional Minister, said:
"For the South East, this new vision for the future will build on the success of the region by developing further opportunities for economic growth. Building Britain's Future will put us on the path to recovery out of recession. The South East's traditionally strong economy means that we can build on the skills and strengths of the region's workforce and communities.
"The work carried out at the Diamond Synchrotron illustrates the success in investment and jobs that can be generated through innovation.
"The Diamond Synchrotron and other high-tech industries not only look to the future but they shape the future and this is what we as a Government are doing with this new vision for the families and businesses in Britain."
Jim Brathwaite, Chairman of SEEDA, said:
“The South East is home to a large number of emerging technology businesses as well as established industry. SEEDA’s number one priority is to offer as much support as we can to ensure our region does not lose any competitive advantage in either sphere during the recession.
“It is from this base of economic strength that we will be able to secure the best possible future for all. Building Britain’s Future will be fundamental to delivering the route-map to achieving this.”
The stated aim of Building Britain’s Future is that every part of government, and every institution of our public life, must become more accountable and responsive to the British people. That is why the energy and mission of the Government in the year ahead will be focused on three clear priorities:
· Putting Britain firmly on the path to recovery and seizing future opportunities for economic growth;
· Building on the improvements made in schools, hospitals and policing and modernising our national infrastructure;
· Cleaning up politics and renewing our democracy.
To attend one of the media facilities or photo calls during the visit or to request an interview with Pat McFadden, call Matt Barker in the BIS press office on 07799848888.
2. The full plan and policy detail of Building Britain’s Future can be found at: www.hmg.gov.uk/buildingbritainsfuture
As a first step, the Government yesterday made a number of commitments to the British people:
· We will not lose another generation to work. Every young person who has been out of work for a year will have to take a job, training or work experience place.
· A new, more active industrial policy to drive growth and create the high value jobs of the future. We will establish a new £150 million Innovation Fund which will lever up to £1 billion of private sector funding.
· By switching spending priorities, we will target investment worth £1.5bn over the next 2 years to deliver 20,000 new affordable homes, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction and related sectors.
· Patients will get enforceable entitlements to the highest standards of health care, including hospital treatment within 18 weeks, access to a cancer specialist within 2 weeks and free health-checks on the NHS for people aged 40-74.
· Parents will be guaranteed an education individually tailored to their child, including a personal tutor for every pupil at secondary school, with catch up and one to one tuition for all those who need it.
· We will give local people more power to keep their neighbourhoods safe, including the right to hold the police to account at monthly beat meetings, to have a say on CCTV and a vote on how offenders pay back the community.
· We will work with the British people to deliver a radical programme of democratic and constitutional reform. We now plan to legislate in the 2009/10 session for further reform of the House of Lords, including completing the process of removing the hereditary principle. And we will now bring forward a draft bill for a smaller and democratically constituted second chamber.
3. SEEDA, the South East England Development Agency, is the Government-funded agency responsible for the sustainable economic development of the South East of England – the driving force of the UK’s economy. Through supporting businesses, encouraging innovation, developing skills and engaging with public and private partners, we aim to create a successful, sustainable future for the region.
