THE Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently announced that the economy grew by 0.8% in Q2 2014, meaning that we're now at the pre-recession peak of 2008.
This comes in addition to the announcement from the IMF that the UK is expected to be the fastest-growing G7 economy in 2014.
These aren't just abstract numbers and predictions – they mean more jobs and security for families and businesses here in Derbyshire.
In fact, the ONS says unemployment continues to fall here – June's figures are at 2.5%, down from 2.7% in May and 2.9% in April.
This news hasn't just happened by accident. It's the result of the realistic assessments that the Government has taken over the past four years. This is also the product of hard work by British people; in Amber Valley, we have many manufacturing businesses that export to other nations, and the new figures showed growth of 0.4% in this sector.
But the job isn't yet complete. We must continue to ensure that we tackle the deficit – which is now down by more than a third – so that we can secure a brighter future for Britain.
The previous Labour government had the highest migration record in history whilst we still had 5 million people on out-of-work benefits. That's why, when I was elected, I promised that we would get tougher on immigration.
Under Labour, we saw an attractive welfare system that drew migrants here for the wrong reasons. Having restricted the entitlement of jobseekers' allowance to six months for migrants, I'm pleased to announce that we're cutting it further to three months.
We're also restricting the ability of job advertisements to be placed in Europe without advertising here in Britain first. It's vital that we ensure that my out-of-work constituents get fair access to these jobs, too.
I know that many of my constituents have concerns about the European Union – concerns that I share.
I'm pleased to announce that I am holding an Amber Valley-wide referendum on the European Union so that I have a representation of my constituents' concerns. Over the next few weeks, you'll be receiving a ballot form through your door, which you can return to me freepost. You can also complete the ballot online at www.nigelmillsmp.com/eu referendum.
Finally, many constituents have genuine concerns about the number of potholes on roads here in Amber Valley. The Government will provide Derbyshire County Council with £5.2 million of extra funding to fill 46,000 potholes and I'm keen to ensure that Amber Valley gets its fair share of this money. If you have concerns about specific potholes, please e-mail me their location at nigel@ nigelmillsmp.com or call my office on 01773 744 341.
