Express & Star

PM: I'm backing E&S apprenticeship drive, Q&A with David Cameron

The Express & Star's political editor Daniel Wainwright met the prime minister and put some tough questions to David Cameron.

Published

1. Many people are still deeply concerned about the impending downgrade of Stafford Hospital and the knock on effect it's having on other hospitals. Is there any hope of Stafford getting its 24-hour A&E back and remaining a fully functioning, major hospital?

After the terrible scandal of Mid Staffs we set up the Francis Inquiry, and have responded positively and proactively to its findings. Across our whole NHS we have put the focus on quality of care – and now there are more nurses and doctors in our health service than ever before. Stafford Hospital will absolutely remain a major hospital; as was announced this week, over £300 million will be invested into the local health economy. This will see Stafford Hospital benefitting from new services and improved facilities, including the refurbishment of A&E to double the space and reduce overcrowding. Our aim remains clear: to ensure standards improve and patients never again witness the kinds of scandals which took place under Labour.

2. Jaguar Land Rover is an undoubted success story in the West Midlands. It's on one of your flagship Enterprise Zones. Are we likely to see the Enterprise Zone scheme repeated or even extended?

Britain's 24 Enterprise Zones are a key part of our long-term economic plan to secure a better future for Britain. Since 2012, they have attracted more than 300 businesses, secured £1.2 billion of private sector investment and created thousands of new jobs. The Birmingham City Centre and the Black Country Enterprise Zones are two flagship examples, and we will continue to do what we can to make sure they – and the other Enterprise Zones – go from strength to strength, creating more jobs, more growth and more prosperity for the local community.

3. The E&S is backing a campaign to get businesses in the Black Country to take on apprentices. It's supported by the Duke of York. We're also using RGF money to offer grants to small and medium sized businesses. How important will apprenticeships be under the next Conservative government and what incentives can be offered to businesses to create them?

Apprenticeships are right at the heart of our long-term economic plan. Since 2010, 1.8 million people have started an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are a triple win for Britain. They boost our economy by an estimated £3.4 billion per year. Each one adds an extra £2,000 to a business's bottom line. And above all, they allow our young people to earn, learn and vastly improve their future prospects. That is why I'm a huge supporter of the E&S Ladder for the Black Country campaign and why a Conservative Government is committed to going even further, creating three million apprenticeships in Britain.

4. You've spoken about English votes for English MPs. But is there any likelihood of further devolution? Will we see a return to the West Midlands county councils or any more powers for councils to raise funds for themselves without going cap in hand to Whitehall?

I have pledged that Scotland will have more say over its own tax, welfare and spending – and that is right. But it is also right that the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland have a fair settlement. That is why we are working towards a new settlement for the whole of the UK. A Conservative Government will deliver on the agenda of "English votes for English laws". Separately, this Government has a proud record of decentralisation so that local communities can have a more secure future. Billions of pounds of spending are being determined not by central government, but by the Local Enterprise Partnerships that are rooted in their communities. And we are committed to making further progress on how we can empower our great cities.

5. How important is the West Midlands going to be to the 2015 election campaign, given that it contains a large number of seats you won and nearly won in 2010? And what can you offer to voters here to persuade them to stick with you?

By sticking to our long-term economic plan, we are securing Britain's future. You can see it right here in the Black Country, where employers such as Jaguar Land Rover are investing in the i54 site to create further skilled manufacturing jobs. Exports are growing faster here in the West Midlands than anywhere else in Britain. Unemployment is falling faster in this region than anywhere else. And this area helping to drive Britain's rise from no growth to the fastest growing major advanced economy in the world. But we're not there yet – not by a long way. We need to make sure our plan for the economy is a plan for you and your family. So under the next Conservative government you can expect some fundamental things: a meaningful job; lower taxes; good public services; the chance to buy your own home; dignity in retirement – in short, a country you are proud to call home. That's the choice voters face next year: Ed Miliband taking the economy back to the dark days of debt, deficit and high taxes, or a Government led by me, continuing to deliver a long-term plan to secure a better future for you and your family.

6. The Leader of the Opposition told this newspaper last week that he is confident he will win the next election, despite the recent by-election in Heywood & Middleton which he secured with just a 617 majority. How do you rate Mr Miliband’s chances – and indeed your own – at the General Election next year?

Voters face a clear choice in May: a Conservative Government, led by me, continuing the long-term plan that is delivering the jobs, growth and security people want; or Ed Miliband in Downing Street and Ed Balls as Chancellor, dragging the country back to Labour's dark days of spending, borrowing and debt. As we have seen in recent by-elections, voting for other parties like UKIP just puts Britain in danger of getting a Labour Government – meaning no action on immigration and no chance for you to have your say on Europe in a referendum. So this will be the most important election in a generation – the moment when voters decide whether to continue securing Britain's future, or whether to let the people who created the mess take us back to square one.

See also: Miliband delivers apprentice pledge and praises Ladder for the Black Country scheme.

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