It is vital that we attract more well-paid, sustainable jobs to lift the areas of deprivation we have in West Cornwall and on Scilly.
I have argued in Westminster that handouts are not needed, but that Government support and investment is required in order to create a prosperous economy that leaves no one behind.
Wages in Cornwall are around 20% lower than in the rest of the UK and the reason why I formed a Jobs and Growth group was to investigate how best the Government can help provide the apprenticeships and skilled jobs we need.
I continue to argue that the Government must make further changes to the business rates system which is having a crippling effect on our town centres, stifling the efforts of our hard-working small business owners and this will become easier once we have left the EU, when we will not bound by their regulations and red tape.
Boris Johnson has pledged to ‘level up’ the country and is prepared to make the substantial investment in skills and infrastructure for this to happen – I will do everything I can to make sure this investment is used in the right way.