Crawley MP, Henry Smith, is backing The National Autistic Society’s (NAS) new campaign aimed at improving support for adults with autism in Crawley and across England.
Crawley MP, Henry Smith, has called on local schools to take part in My Money Week (3 to 9 June), giving pupils the chance to learn more about money and personal finance. Every primary and secondary school in Crawley is being given the chance to take part for free in My Money Week, which has returned for its fifth year thanks to a new partnership between national charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) and Barclays.
Crawley MP, Henry Smith, will join representatives from the Chagos Refugees Group UK in Crawley on Thursday to meet with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister, Mark Simmonds MP, to discuss the islands’ future
Crawley MP, Henry Smith, has welcomed news that prisoners across England and Wales will in future need to make real progress towards their own rehabilitation and work hard in prison before they can receive privileges, like access to television sets and being able to wear their own clothes.
Good government is aimed at representing everyone and delivering for the common good. The Conservative-led coalition government is doing exactly that in reducing the national debt and the annual budget deficit. These were both features bequeathed by the last Labour government which dramatically overspent the country’s credit card.
Memories can be short but in this local election week, let us try and recall who caused the economic damage that we are all working to put right. We are supposed to learn from our history. One lesson would be not to install in power at a local level a political party that damaged our national economy, in case they make similar mistakes with our councils as well.
It is also worth remembering that, despite today’s difficulties, it is still possible to help hard-pressed families with their bills. For the last three years, Council Tax has been frozen by the West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council and Sussex Police. This sound financial management makes a real difference to people’s pockets, representing a cut in Council Tax of 9.7 per cent in real terms.
At times like this, we identify new policy options which are sometimes contentious and radical, but we consider them because of the needs of the time. An example is the cap on the overall level of benefits that people can receive. This is to be set at £26,000 per year for an out-of-work household and feedback on the doorstep supports the view that this policy is only right and fair. To keep £26,000 per year after tax in employment, you would need to be earning £35,000 per year. A great many working households receive nothing like that amount.
Income tax is being cut for 24 million people, with 2.2 million people being taken out of income tax altogether. Job creation is being assisted with further cuts in corporation tax, reducing to 20 per cent by 2015. Taking the budget changes together, 90 per cent of working families will be almost £300 per year better off.
Government policies have already helped to create one and a quarter million private sector jobs. Next year, there will be further assistance to businesses with a cut in employers’ National Insurance bills of up to £2,000.
Just as important for keeping the economy growing is our handling of fuel duty. For unleaded petrol, this rose by more than 20p per litre under Labour. Under the current government, fuel duty is being frozen again, making this the longest standstill for more than 20 years. Pump prices will be 13p per litre lower than under Labour’s plans.
For people who get up early, work hard and save, this is a government very clearly on your side.
Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council
29th April 2013
Crawley MP, Henry Smith, is calling on parents to check for warning signs of possible heart problems experienced by their children and follow life-saving guidance issued by the UK’s leading children’s heart charity.
Crawley MP, Henry Smith, has welcomed the new Technical Baccalaureate designed to help young people get the high-quality vocational education they deserve.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious business awards. They are bestowed each year to the country’s best businesses by Her Majesty The Queen in recognition of their outstanding achievements.
It is sometimes said that one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. This is particularly the case with liberation movements such as the ANC (African National Congress) which fought to move South Africa away from white supremacist rule. It can though be difficult to apply the comment to all circumstances.
Pubs struggling to pay rent or beer prices could save thousands of pounds a year each, thanks to a new Code of Practice and the backing of a powerful Adjudicator, under proposals announced today by Business Secretary Vince Cable.
