WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed promised funding increases for the police, schools and NHS as part of a new economic plan outlined by the Chancellor.
The Government set out plans to fund 20,000 new police officers, deliver a £33billion cash increase for the NHS and an extra £14 billion to schools.
Chancellor Sajid Javid also set out plans to spend an extra £1billion on social care and £6.3 billion to prepare for the UK leaving the European Union on October 31.
“I am sure that people across West Worcestershire will welcome the good news regarding extra police, and more money for schools and the NHS,” she said.
“I am delighted this Spending Round is continuing to support the nation’s priorities and support the Chancellor’s plans which will ensure a fantastic education for every child, safer streets across the country, and better healthcare for those who need it.”
Mid Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a record £14 billion investment in England’s schools between now and 2022/23, as well as plans by the Department for Education to boost teacher salaries to at least £30,000 from 2022.
The cash boost will mean that every secondary school in Worcestershire will receive a minimum of £5,000 spent on each pupil per year at secondary school and £4,000 per primary school pupil.
In addition, the new funding will mean £400million of additional funding for further education and sixth form colleges, meaning more students will be provided the skills they need for well-paid jobs.
“Worcestershire has historically suffered from underfunding compared to other areas in England, and fairer funding has been an issue I have continued to campaign for since becoming an MP.
“I want to thank the parents, teachers and community groups who have been involved in the fairer funding campaign and those who have supported efforts to make sure Worcestershire schools get the level of funding they deserve,” he added.
Independent tax and spending thinktank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said once health was excluded from the calculation, the extra funds barely reversed a quarter of the cuts to spending departments since 2010.
IFS director, Paul Johnson accused the chancellor of making commitments using out-of-date economic forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility, the government’s independent forecaster, that dated back to the spring and which had since worsened.
“By making major spending decisions without having the most up-to-date forecasts for the economy and public finances, the chancellor is taking a gamble,” he said.
“As it stands, there looks to be a very real risk of having to choose between tax increases or missing his current fiscal targets come the budget later this year– even with a smooth departure from the EU.”
