Key measures in the Budget to boost growth include:
· Tax cuts for businesses and entrepreneurs
· Scrapping burdensome regulations
· Radical reform of the planning system
· New investment in science and innovation; and
· More support for young people with additional apprenticeships and work experience places.
To help families facing the rising cost of living, the Budget also will:
· Immediately cut fuel duty by 1 pence per litre and delay April's inflation rise in duty to next January. This means fuel duty is 6 pence lower than it would be under Labour.
· Introduce a Fair Fuel Stabiliser to tax oil companies more to stop above inflation rises in fuel duty
· Increase the Personal Allowance from by a further £630 from April 2012. That's another real increase of £48 extra per year, or £126 in cash terms. Together with this year's rise, that means a total of £326 extra each year for those working hard to support their families. And it means, just ten months into office, this coalition Government has taken 1.1 million low paid people out of tax altogether.
Welcoming the Budget, Graham said 'Last year's Budget brought Britain back from the brink of bankruptcy. The Government is right to stick to the plan to get Britain living within her means and I am delighted that the Chancellor didn't have to come back for more. Instead this year's Budget sets out plans to back enterprise and get Britain making things again. By cutting fuel duty immediately and cutting income tax for millions the Chancellor has done what he can to help families now. This Budget has put fuel into the tank of our economy.'
'Locally, this Budget is brilliant news for the North West and Cheshire in particular. This Budget delivers more for Cheshire than any of Labour's budgets over the last thirteen years. Enterprise Zones are to be created in both Merseyside and Greater Manchester; and the Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus is going to benefit from huge levels of science capital investment. I am particularly pleased about this announcement as I have been tirelessly lobbying Ministers to support the world class work done at Daresbury and help rebalance our economy by creating thousands of hi-tech jobs.'