Esther McVey: Years of decline but there’s no quick-fix

Oct 10 2012 Heswall News

I BEGAN this week's Conservative Party Conference by appearing on the BBC's Politics Show to discuss the week ahead – interestingly the debate centreed on business.

Whilst it is true to say it is tough for businesses it is also a very mixed picture with information, communication, professional and technical and scientific sectors doing well particularly in Wirral with the likes of Unilever, Cammell Lairds, Regal Wholesale, Heap and Partners, Bibby Engineering, Servitech, B&M waste.

In fact the Sunday Times put Birkenhead now as number 2 in the UK for its concentration of fastest growing businesses. Whereas construction is the sector that has fared the worst.

The most interesting news perhaps is that whilst business births had slumped from 2007 they have now begun to grow and over one million new private sector jobs have been created since the General Election, added to that key business infrastructure issues are being addressed too.

For instance UK slipped from 7th to 12 on global ratings on competitiveness from 1997 to 2010 but since the Coalition government came into power it's moved back up to 8th. During Labour's tenure, annual R&D and the UK's share of patents dropped, added to that the burden of government regulation globally went from 4th to 89th all of which are being reversed and we're digging our way out of this extra burden and back up to 17th place.

These are significant changes but after 13 years of decline things don't happen overnight. Having attended and spoken at conference it is clear that the Government is moving things in the right direction but delivery and implementation of policy will be key over the next two years to ensure we help families and businesses right across the UK.