Mark Harper MP: Reporting back on a successful recession surival workshop

Mark Harper is MP for Forest of Dean, shadow minister for disabled people and a chartered accountant by training. Here he reports back on the recession survival workshop he recently organised for businesses in his constituency.

A few weeks ago, here on Platform, I wrote about my plan to hold a recession survival workshop.  The response I received was very positive and I thought readers might be interested in an update.

The original session had to be cancelled due to the snow fall in Gloucestershire that week.  However, we were able to hold the event the following week and, despite the short notice of the new time, we had 55 people attend from local businesses and organisations. 

Mike Warburton, senior tax partner at Grant Thornton, provided a very interesting overview of the current economic position and his view, as an accountant, of the state of the public finances and how this has contributed to the problems that small businesses are facing.

He was followed by Charles Curry.  Charles’ technology company, based in my constituency, faced bankruptcy when the dot com bubble burst in 2002.  He explained the steps that he took to turn things around and provided some insightful advice to struggling businesses.

Mark Harper MP: As the recession hits, we must not neglect the forgotten unemployed

Mark Harper is Shadow Minister for Disabled People and writes for ConservativeHome to coincide with today's second reading debate on the Welfare Reform Bill.

With the news last week that the UK is now officially in recession and as unemployment nears 2 million, it may well go unnoticed that this week Parliament will debate the Welfare Reform Bill. It is a sign of this Government’s failure that, after nearly 12 years in office, it has only now decided to start reforming the welfare state. After 12 wasted years, it is too little too late.

As the dole queues continue to lengthen, attention will inevitably shift towards those people who have recently lost their jobs, and those who face the prospect of redundancy. However, as the recession bites and the unemployment numbers swell, it is important that we do not lose sight of the plight of the forgotten unemployed: the long term out of work.

Most people would have expected that, after 16 years of economic growth, we would be fairly well down the road with welfare reform. Sadly though, there are still millions of people who have been left behind and have not been given the opportunity to release their talents. It is thus all the more disappointing that the Bill currently before Parliament will do little to help the millions of people currently on Incapacity Benefit.

The Government’s failure to deliver change is all the more a missed opportunity now that the economic situation has darkened. Delivering real welfare reform would have been much easier in a steadily growing economy rather than one in the jaws of recession.

Mark Harper MP: Beat the recession with a local business workshop

Mark Harper is MP for Forest of Dean, shadow minister for disabled people and a chartered accountant by training. Here he explains why he is running recession survival workshops for businesses in his constituency.

We enter 2009 with an economic crisis that may well result in a deeper recession than this country has seen for many years. Whilst all major economies are being affected by the current crisis, Britain will be one of the hardest hit. Under Gordon Brown’s watch, we now have the largest budget deficit and highest level of personal debt in the developed world.   

The Government’s solution to the economic crisis is to saddle the next generation with an even larger mountain of debt by reckless borrowing to unprecedented levels.  Government debt is rising to such an extent that every baby born in Britain today starts life owing £17,000 – a point very effectively made by the poster campaign launched earlier this week by David Cameron.

Action is needed to help the British economy out of this recession, but it must be the right action, not recklessly doubling our national debt.  The most pressing task is to get banks lending to the real economy again, not creating an even bigger black hole in our public finances which will take years to pay off.

Action at the local level is also important. In rural areas, such as my constituency of the Forest of Dean, local businesses are the life blood of the economy. They are suffering from the shortage of credit in the economy and loss of custom as households rein back on expenditure.

That’s why I have decided to organise a recession survival workshop for local businesses in the Forest of Dean. As a Chartered Accountant, I know how important it is for businesses to keep their cash flow steady.  As businesses will be looking at how to manage their finances most efficiently and may have problems accessing credit, it is really important that local businesses know that there is support and advice available. I have asked Mike Warburton, a leading expert on tax and finance from Grant Thornton, to explain some of the current challenges that companies are likely to face and what they can do to tackle these problems. We will also be joined by a local Lloyds TSB Commercial manager who will contribute advice on how businesses can mange their finances through the downturn. 

Local government also has an important role in supporting business. In our second session on business support, Julie Girling, a Gloucestershire County Councillor and Cabinet member (and European Parliamentary Candidate for the South West), will inform people about the support that is available from the County Council and Gloucestershire First – the economic wing of the Council.

These workshops will give local business people a chance to raise some of the problems that they are facing at this very difficult time and receive answers from the experts.  I hope it will be an opportunity for some stimulating discussion and practical help for local businesses.

Mark Harper MP: All legislation should state if it originates from the EU

Mark Harper, MP for Forest of Dean, yesterday proposed in a Ten Minute Rule bill that in future all legislation should state whether it was introduced because of an EU decision.

Amidst all the turmoil on the financial markets yesterday, the Government still found time to whip its MPs to oppose a ten minute rule bill which had cross party support to increase the transparency of EU legislation.  In a rare break with usual practice, even Government Ministers were told to oppose the Bill.

Our democratic system is based upon the principles of transparency and accountability. It should therefore be clear to everyone the origin of the laws that govern this country.

Yet there is little clarity, but rather much confusion, over the extent of the EU’s influence upon our legislation. I spoke in favour of my Ten Minute Rule Bill in the House of Commons yesterday to highlight this lack of transparency within our democracy. My Bill proposed that on the front of every Bill and regulation, the Minister introducing it must state whether it is the result of a European Union decision.  This would be akin to the statement of compatibility with the Human Rights Act that ministers must declare on the face of every Act.

Mark Harper MP: Labour's incoherent devolution settlement

Mark Harper, MP for Forest of Dean, looks at some of problems caused at a local level by devolution in its current form.

On St George’s Day, it seems appropriate to look at how devolution has affected England.  As this is unlikely to happen in the House of Commons, this forum is probably the next best place.  We have Commons debates on the affairs of the other parts of the United Kingdom close to their patron saints’ days, but never on the affairs of England.   

The Government is quick to proclaim what Wales and Scotland have gained from devolution, but what of England?  Has the Union benefited and if so how?

This is not a comprehensive analysis but a few thoughts based on the experience of my constituents, who are literally on the front line between England and Wales.  My constituency, the Forest of Dean, is located by the Welsh border in Gloucestershire, tucked in between the confluence of the Severn and the Wye, the latter of which runs along the England-Wales border for part of its length.