02/01/12 - The Way I See It: Chris Kelly MP writes for the Dudley Chronicle

I delivered a speech in the Commons commending the Government's success in boosting the take-up of apprenticeships(Dudley South has seen a massive two thirds increase compared to 2009/10 with almost one thousand apprenticeship starts in the first year of the new Government).

With small businesses being such a vital part of the Black Country's economy I asked the Chancellor at Treasury questions what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of bank lending and credit for business and to confirm that guarantees under the Government's National Loan Guarantee Scheme are contingent liabilities, and so will have no effect on the country's balance sheet or deficit. I was pleased that the Chancellor was able to give me the assurance I was looking for and look forward to the NLGS benefiting borough businesses.

BT have announced that the Brierley Hill exchange is being enabled for super fast broadband. I have written to BT stating that the equipment to be selected ought be ECI Telecom based and therefore housed in Eurocraft cabinets made here in Netherton, otherwise we could have dozens of larger, inferior Chinese cabinets on our pavements.

I have been in correspondence with the lead delivery partner for the National Citizen Service in the Black Country. I will have more to report on this in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime to learn more visit direct.gov.uk/nationalcitizenservice

I have added my backing to the Trade Union Reform Campaign (turc.org.uk). It is not right, particularly in a time of austerity, that some public sector workers should be paid full-time by the taxpayer but spend 100% of their time on union related organising and activities. This massive union subsidy must end.

As the new year begins it is worth reviewing the economic situation. This Government will do whatever it takes to protect Britain from this debt storm. This country is facing challenging times. This Government inherited the highest deficit in the UK’s history. But our commitment to tackling the debt means Britain remains a safe haven while much of Europe is engulfed in a debt crisis. We will stick to our plan and show that we can live within our means to protect confidence in our economy and keep interest rates low.

We will support growth, improve fairness and help families with the cost of living where we can. We have made no changes to the spending totals for the next three years, but we will act to stay on course to meet our debt and deficit targets. We will make savings to protect our finances in the long-term, but until 2015 every single pound we save will be spent on measures to support growth, improve fairness and help families where we can with the daily cost of living.

Labour’s promises of quick fixes and more spending are like the promises of a quack doctor selling a miracle cure. As sovereign debt concerns grow every day, Labour’s alternative of more spending, more borrowing and more debt is even less credible than it was before. Ed Miliband and Ed Balls’ claim that more spending and more borrowing will actually lead to lower debt is the kind of something for nothing economics that got us into this mess in the first place.

I hope all readers had a wonderful Christmas with nearest and dearest and that we will all have a safe and prosperous new year.

> Chris Kelly can be contacted on 01384 211 041 or via officeATchriskellympDOTcom. You can also read the latest news & views at chriskellymp.com

09/01/12 - Letter from Westminster: Chris Kelly MP writes for the Stourbridge News

With small businesses being such a vital part of the Black Country's economy I asked the Chancellor atTreasury questions what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of bank lending and credit for business and to confirm that guarantees under the Government's National Loan Guarantee Scheme are contingent liabilities, and so will have no effect on the country's balance sheet or deficit. I was pleased that the Chancellor was able to give me the assurance I was looking for and look forward to the NLGS benefiting borough businesses.

I commended David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions for exercising the veto in the national interest and thanked him on behalf of the people of Dudley South for doing so. I asked the PM about the terms of the European Council deal he, rightly, vetoed. In an earlier Commons session. I also pressedthePM to commit the Government to providing even more assistance to help British businesses become evermore outward facing, helping Black Country firms export even more to emerging markets such as in the Far East and South America.

I delivered a speech in the Commons commending the Government's success in boosting the take-up of apprenticeships (Dudley South has seen a massive two thirds increase compared to 2009/10 with almost one thousand apprenticeship starts in the first year of the new Government).

Margot James MP & I met Home Office minister Lord Henley and agreed that cash payments for (scrap) metal must be outlawed in 2012. I will continue, as founder & chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Combating Metal Theft, to campaign for the elimination of cash payments until a change in the law is secured.

BT have announced that the Brierley Hill exchange is being enabled for super fast broadband. I have written to BT stating that the equipment to be selected ought be ECI Telecom based and therefore housed in Eurocraft cabinets made here in Netherton, otherwise we could have dozens of larger, inferior Chinese cabinets on our pavements.

The Commons returns this week.

I hope all readers had a wonderful Christmas with nearest and dearest and that we will all have a safe and prosperous new year.

> Chris Kelly can be contacted on 01384 211 041 or via officeATchriskellympDOTcom. You can also read the latest news & views at chriskellymp.com