Mark Pawsey meeting Jack and Hannah, who have bought their home thanks to the Help to Buy scheme.
One of the guiding principles of all Conservative Governments has been to build a better future for young people. The Government of which I was proud to be a member was no exception.
In 2010 we inherited, despite our excellent teachers, an education system that was failing our children; a neglected apprenticeships programme and an economy that would saddle our children and grandchildren with debt. However, over the past five years we have made huge strides with measures to support young people. Thanks to our reforms, one million more children are being taught in good or outstanding schools. We have also introduced the Pupil Premium which gives the children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds a helping hand in the most important years of their lives. And under a future Conservative Government, we will ensure that any school judged by Ofsted as ‘requires improvement’ will be supported by the best head teachers.
But it is not just in academic education where we have delivered on our promises to future generations. Under Labour apprenticeships, once a route into skilled trades, were allowed to decline. In contrast, we Conservatives have delivered 2.2 million new apprenticeships in the last five years, giving young people the skills and opportunities they need to succeed in life. Here in Rugby and Bulkington, apprenticeship starts have increased by over 25% since 2010. The welcome news from Jaguar Land Rover and the London Taxi Company to invest in manufacturing will provide even more opportunities in the future. A future Conservative Government will go even further. We will deliver 3 million new apprenticeships which will allow more of our children to succeed and have the future they deserve.
We are not just supporting younger people through education. We have also introduced the Help to Buy scheme which has helped 73,000 families to buy their own home – including 226 here in Rugby and Bulkington. Out and about on the doorsteps of a new housing development near the station in Rugby I met several residents who, thanks to the Conservatives Help to Buy scheme, now have the security of their own home. Britain has always been a nation of home owners and we want to ensure that future generations will continue to have that opportunity. That is why a Conservative Government will build 100,000 new homes for first time buyers.
Over the last 5 years we have had to make difficult decisions. Difficult, but fair. In 2010 we inherited the biggest peacetime budget deficit our country had ever seen. Our long-term economic plan has underpinned all of our efforts and our country has now turned a corner. We are on the right track, returning Britain to growth and prosperity and ensuring that our children and grandchildren do not have to pick up the bill for the generation that went before. I want to ensure that we leave them a growing economy and a brighter future.