18/03/2012 Sunday Politics West Midlands

In the Midlands, a foretaste of the dish to be served up in this year's

budget. We go to Shropshire to find out what one leading at business

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1717 seconds

Here with me today, the Conservative MP for Bromsgrove,

George Osborne's parliamentary private secretary. Also, the Nikkei

Sinclair, elected three years ago as I you kept MP but our region's

independent voice. -- UKIP. Do you feel your constituency let him know

just how tough it is a out there for thousands of people under his

cuts? I expect my constituents always make sure I know what their

concerns are. To the extent they are concerned, they will not shy

away. We have heard reports of arguments going on in the coalition

among the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. What is the truth of

that? I think the truth is that because there is a coalition, we

expect a bit more to and fro than an a single-party government. What

I hear from people on the streets is that they have been pleasantly

surprised by just how well the coalition government has worked.

is all sweetness and light? Pretty much. A lot better than certainly a

lot of people expected. There are limits as to what we can say but I

have to mention your recent arrest on suspicion of defrauding the

European Parliament. How confident are you a clearing your name?

cannot talk about this which I find extremely frustrating because I

wanted and they want to clear my name. If I could just take this

opportunity, hundreds of people have e-mailed and came to my mobile

surgery on Friday, just wishing me well. I am very touched by that

support. As a politician, you often define yourself as being against

things such as a high-speed rail project or British membership of EU.

I am for human rights, for example, the settled community. I am for

people and for self-determination and the sub-committee of the United

Kingdom, not against the European Union. I am for British sovereignty.

Coming up a little later, learning by numbers. If Wednesday's budget

is going for growth, these families in Shropshire to do with some

childlike enthusiasm but will the sums add up? Our top story this

week. The Midlands is on the verge of a drought. We are in the middle

of the longest dry spell for 20 years. Have the problem has been

aggravated by the politicians? Their concerns our privatised water

industry is tied up and red tape and burdensome rules and

regulations. There has not been much rain on

this farm for 18 months. We're supposed to be planting potatoes

next week and they would rather have a delay than delay planting

because it makes such a difference to her yields and what we can

supply next year. For farmers relying on a long-running row

others, things are looking tough. Far worse here are struggling to

deal with the lack of water but the Severn Trent it says there will not

be a hosepipe ban and then even starting to prepare for the idea of

selling water from the Midlands to the south-east. We're looking to

reach out across the borders of help out her neighbours. One early

idea is to see if we can do all water from boreholes and let it

flow over the border. In the longer term, what are trading would mean

more connections for treated water pipes. We're building a national

network as the water companies connect up with their competitors,

and they can move the water around on a local basis. Local

connectivity is the key. Are things moving quickly enough and how do

you explain to a potato farmer that you want to sell his water? Could

what are be the new oil? Could the Midlands be the opposite of what

exporting regions? You said to the European Parliament this week that

what there was a basic human right and should not be sold for profit.

Is it not naive to propose that with this multi-million pound

business, you can deconstruct that industry? I also said it was a

human essential and I think we may be very lucky here in the West

Midlands but the Government should be looking to incentive eyes babas,

because 75% above national lottery used his by the agriculture

industries. It would seem a bit rich for a far more worried about

his potato crops to sit here in a region where they are talking about

selling water to the south-east are ready within the West Midlands?

They should only consider selling water when there is excess water

for this region. I do not think Severn Trent is fiendish should

sell what are no matter the local situation. Let's remember that in

this region the get a lot of our water from wells. Wales recently

had some excellent rainfall and it has come down all the way from the

valleys and is quite here that -- great here. Transport of what are

already takes place and we can all benefit from that. What is

potentially very political. We have also heard the Scots flexing their

muscles over the last few days like a re-run of the argument for North

Sea oil. There is a discussion at over providing water not just for

our use but also Third World water. 80% of disease comes from infected

water. We have not just a regional responsibility but a global

responsibility. It is important. What is important and they do not

made people making a profit the but not excessive profits, which I

think some companies currently are. Caroline Spelman, the Environment

Secretary, was speaking of the dyke -- joined up solution across the

country. We could be talking about something like 40 years before we

get a national system for water. Politicians and obsessed with five-

year periods, at the? In December, the government published a White

Paper on water for life, addressing many of the points just raised.

Only last month, Caroline Spelman held an emergency summit to discuss

this issue of direct. It is important also just to raise the

profile. As a constituency MP, I have not received a single letter

from constituents concerned about do it. This kind of summit raise

the profile and that that can help people be a bit more careful, I

think that is a good thing. So say all of us. In just three days,

George Osborne will be at the dispatch porch -- dispatch box to

deliver his fourth Budget. What is a Midlands one as a whole and to be

in that red box? If it is billed as a Budget for growth, the Chancellor

could do worse -- do worse than popping into this nursery. By with

many parents facing a growth and benefits and the government

striving to improve the welfare system, here, it is all play and no

work. It is hard being a mother with a young child. I was made

redundant in July and when I went to claim contributions based

Jobseeker's Allowance, I wasn't entitled to it because of the two

tax year to take into account, which seems unfair because I have

16 years experience in teaching. few miles up the road, this did

centre prides itself on achieving growth. The recipe here is, if we

sell at, we should make it. It has doubled the workforce with over 100

skilled jobs over five years. The man in charge once the Chancellor's

Budget to interest National Insurance Contributions, so that he

could take on more young people. The cost of employing people is

very high. The option is either receiving higher National Insurance

payments or more people on benefit. It is a simple equation. Well we're

number-crunching, the number of new companies in Shropshire has fallen

by a quarter over three years. The latest employment figures in Ludlow

showed it four per cent of the working-age population is out of

work, whereas the figure across the Midlands is 9%. This man lives in

Ludlow and his 20 ad has been unemployed for two-and-a-half years.

He volunteers for a further charge game which distributes unwanted

household kit. -- goods. He feels the Chancellor should reward those

who show a desire to work. A young people have not got the help they

need at the moment. They need guidance. Under the to the

Government, it is not good enough. -- Tory government. With childlike

enthusiasm comes Shropshire's Budget wish-list. They need to

start young and inspire the next generation. The Midlands and Budget

wish-list their full stop that is the big question for our other

guests today, divisional director of the employers' organisation, the

CBI. What is on your wish-list? is about looking long term. There

is no quick fix solution here. It is about looking back to the Autumn

Statement and making sure some of the good ideas there get taken for

work. The main priority for Wednesday is ongoing reform of

taxation with the corporation tax, and certainly on the environmental

side as well. Making that a little bit simpler. Making sure that it

does not become a burden on business, particularly

manufacturing companies, which at the moment in the West Midlands and

doing quite well. We had a bit from business and the last few days

about employers' contributions, described as a tax on jobs. Is that

something you hope will receive a bit of give up from the Chancellor.

There is a bigger picture of creating a more favourable

environment for medium and long- term investment, particularly on

infrastructure, which has a fairly immediate impact on job creation.

saw some startling figures showing that 7000 jobs had gone from the

public sector in the year since December, but more than 10 times

had been created in the private sector. The problem is, it is

asking a lot of Industry to go further and faster to close the gap.

It is asking a lot but if you look at a lot of the CBI members I have

spoken to in the last week, predominantly manufacturers who

seemed to be bucking the trend, companies and exporting products to

countries you would not have thought of. Countries like Malaysia,

Turkey and Cameroon. You have the ear of the Chancellor. Is he

listening to those arguments you are hearings? The Chancellor is

absolutely listening. We will see on Wednesday. The Chancellor is a

very sensible man. One thing I will tell you is you can expect to see

that there will not be any change on the strategy of dealing with the

debt and the deficit this country has. We have to balance the books

and that is key to bringing long- term growth back to the economy,

bringing back business confidence. We have to allow these companies to

keep investing. The problem Labour says it is you're taking so much

money out of the economy that you're actually creating more

problems through your own policies. Unemployment is higher than you

wanted to be and growth is lower. I did not think Labour is terrible

and this. The almost bankrupted this country. I would like to see a

budget that is not this radical but before or long-term gains. I want

to see huge investment and jobs and training. Where would that

investment come from? You need to create jobs. I would like to see

the 50p tax rate dropped. If they believe that, they should drop that

now. The National Insurance holiday is essential. The business rates

are going up 5.6 per cent. I would actually like to see holidays for

new businesses. There are lots of empty shops in high streets. If new

businesses had holidays for one of two years, that would create

employment. What would you do for the high street because there is a

bleak picture. Inflation is Bailey high and they would like to see if

not a reduction, then keeping it as it is. There is a lack of consumer

confidence at the Mollet and people are not spending. Business has a

lot of money stashed away but they are not confident enough to release

it. A there is a dichotomy there. With retailers and the market...

a chance were going to disappoint businesses? There is investment

going on despite the tough finances. The regional growth fund saw a lot

of money going into companies such as Jaguar Land-Rover, which has

protected thousands of jobs. That is one of the reasons you are

seeing employment rising. Employment is actually rising in

the region. We will have to move on at this point. The challenges

facing this country -- part of the country will be part of the debate

tomorrow night at 11:05pm. On Wednesday itself, I don't reporting

live from Westminster on whatever the Budget holds for this region.

The next round up the rest of the Midlands's political news in 60

seconds. They burn the Ed Miliband was at

the University of Warwick on Friday. He told the party's news conference

about his plans to tackle unemployment.

A higher authority is intervening to help tackle child poverty and

burning up. Thousands of families live below the breadline. I have

noticed an enormous amount of energy and willingness in times of

austerity for people to work together to help one another.

Parents face basics of hundreds of pounds to Kate school buses on the

road. At turbocharged motor industry

means good news for workers in Wolverhampton. The tyre company

Goodyear Dunlop has unveiled a new production line.

Worrying news for the orders of the country's biggest coal mine. UK

call are in talks for the future of the Pet which could cause a in two

years' time with 800 jobs at risk. That is the story of this recovery

in a nutshell. Goodier Dunlop forging ahead at 800 jobs at risk

elsewhere. One step forward, one step back. The government needs to

make sure those jobs have not lost. What can be done? Productivity

target had been missed. Government are doing what they can

but we continue to invest in the European Union and not in our own

country. You will see with such big changes in an economy, a job Sheth

at this location. What I hope is that if those jobs at risk, those

people can find jobs elsewhere when industry is growing in Britain. I

think there is a good chance of that. Where is the investment and

training? It is happening elsewhere in Europe are not in our own

country. The facts are that last year, business investment in

Britain was at one of the highest rates in our history, up 7% on last

year. One is the British taxpayer funding it training in Bulgaria and

elsewhere? The budget is always a fun day. I have been watching it

for the last 20 years and I am looking forward to it. That is