Budget Resolutions
Can the right hon. and learned Lady remind us of what her Government did, and what she did when she was in government, to increase apprenticeships?
Liberal Democrats MP for Bath since (elected).
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Can the right hon. and learned Lady remind us of what her Government did, and what she did when she was in government, to increase apprenticeships?
I would like to address the barriers that businesses are facing right now that make them not so hopeful about the future. The south-west is home to many innovative businesses that employ local people and generate growth across the region, such as Drift Energy and Luthmore. Based in Bath, Drift Energy is developing a first-of-its-kind sailing vessel that harvests wind energy on the move. This groundbreaking innovator would reduce UK reliance on imported fossil fuels, increase domestic green hydrogen capacity and open new manufacturing and maritime innovation opportunities. CBI Economics has estimated that by 2032, Drift Energy could deliver nearly £200 million in growth through operations in the south-west alone. Luthmore is a south-west business that has developed a first-of-its-kind battery-enabled alternative to the gas combi boiler. It currently employs 42 people—a figure that is forecast to double to 80 within the next nine months, making it a significant local employer. With the right support and conditions, these businesses could generate real growth in postcodes across the south-west. The Government say that they will cut business costs and support innovation, but the measures in this Budget do not go anywhere near far enough in addressing the financial challenges that these businesses face. The Budget fails to address a significant funding gap—the gap between the points at which seed investment funds and venture funds respectively feel comfortable enough to begin investing in a business. As the financial markets continue to suffer, the risk appetite of venture funds decreases, which means that companies must reach a significantly greater maturity before they can be funded from these sources. The innovation loan and grant schemes, which have been separated into regional districts, and agencies such as the clean growth fund were meant to plug that this gap, but they are now approaching investments in a similar vein to commercial venture capital: they are looking for greater and greater reduction of risk. That forces innovative businesses that develop first-of-its-kind technology to seek funds from international sources, often with a requirement for operations to be moved away from the original region. These businesses want to employ local people, but the Budget does not address the failure of Government policy to support businesses to mass-manufacture in Britain. There are no local incentives that would reduce costs and enable them to compete with international manufacturers. British businesses moving abroad is not good growth in every postcode. The Budget leaves the future uncertain for those businesses, making it harder to employ local people, harder to trade with local businesses, and easier to move abroad and ultimately prevent the growth that we all want. I also want to address, very briefly, the unwelcome and short-sighted cuts in the warm homes plan and the boiler upgrade scheme. This decision is of profound concern in respect of not only our climate commitments but the basic health, security and wellbeing of many households across the country. As fossil fuel prices surge, the boiler upgrade scheme is cutting bills for people across the country, employing thousands, and improving the resilience of homes by breaking the link with oil and gas. The boiler upgrade scheme is more than a grant to help households; it is creating a UK industry that can deliver cheaper heating, skilled jobs, greater energy independence—and, yes, growth. I urge the Government to reverse this disastrous decision and immediately restore full funding to our warm home commitments. We all want growth. I have drawn attention to a few things that make growth very difficult for businesses across the south-west and across the country, and I hope that the Government will consider them.
Given that the Minister has just said that the Government want to support households but also move away from expensive fossil fuels, why make cuts to the boiler upgrade scheme and the warm homes plan?
Order. Before the Minister replies, may I encourage everybody to speak through the Chair? I do not want to be too pompous about it, but the convention is that the debate goes this way, not that way. Before you start a conversation among yourselves, please remember that.
Order. May I remind the hon. and learned Member that a winding-up speech is not a new speech? It is two minutes. If he could come to an end, that would be great.
HMOs are the only way many young people can afford to rent, but their unregulated growth leads to the loss of family homes. However, Bath and North East Somerset council has taken action, and has included in its draft local plan a ban on the conversion of homes that would otherwise mean the loss of three-bedroom homes in Southdown, Twerton and Odd Down. Will the Minister congratulate Bath council?
While we Liberal Democrats are very pleased that the Government have listened to our calls to tackle headphone dodgers, I did not really hear an answer to the previous question. How is this policy going to be visibly enforced, so that public transport users in Bath can be sure that something is happening?
We desperately need to reduce rainwater run-off into our sewage system to prevent storm overflows. In Bath, Wessex Water runs community water butt schemes and flood mitigation pilots, which prevent rainwater run-off from entering our sewers, ensuring they are not overwhelmed. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that more customers and householders can have access to water butts?
A constituent of mine withdrew from a police investigation into historical sexual abuse because of fear of disclosing their identity. That was logged as “outcome 16”. Last year, Avon and Somerset police recorded nearly 39,000 cases of outcome 16, but we do not know the reasons why there was a withdrawal because the data is not held centrally. Is it not time that we debated how to improve the recording of outcome 16, to better understand why victims withdraw and help victims, like my constituent, get justice?
Today is not a good day for any campaigner pressing for urgent action on climate change. I know that many of my Bath constituents—particularly young people—will be deeply concerned and disappointed. The Government have justified their position by saying that Jackdaw will create new jobs and boost growth. Will they clarify which jobs will boost growth? I do not mean jobs that rely on a Jackdaw worker buying a sandwich—anybody working in any sector can buy a sandwich—but jobs that will be directly created by Jackdaw and otherwise would not exist.