Unemployment in the West Midlands is “a great concern” – but the Government is doing all it can to get people in to work, a Tory cabinet member has insisted.
Birmingham MP Andrew Mitchell (Con, Sutton Coldfield) said Ministers had made “painful” decisions since the Coalition government came to power.
But he said there was widespread public support for the Government’s attempts to cut the deficit by reducing public spending, which were essential to keep interest rates down.
Unemployment figures released last month showed unemployment was rising in the region, with 239,000 people out of work, a rate of 9.1 per cent.
Speaking at the Conservative conference in Manchester, Mr Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, highlighted plans to kickstart the construction industry.
The Government is set to release state-owned land which could be used for homebuilding, and raise funding by encouraging tenants to exercise their right to buy, to allow 200,000 new homes to be built.
This will create 400,000 new jobs, according to the Chancellor, George Osborne.
Mr Mitchell said: “Our policies are designed to promote growth – growth in the economy is incredibly important and all our efforts are bent to achieving that.
“And the announcement we made about the right to buy and house building, which has the ability to secure 400,000 jobs, is helping with that.
“And the decision to freeze council tax for another year helps hard-pressed families at a very difficult time.
“We are doing everything we can to assist and support them.”
He claimed rising unemployment was a result of the damage Labour had inflicted on the economy when they were in power.
“It’s our job to sort this out. That’s what the electorate wants us to do and that’s what we’re doing.”
