This week Parliament debated same sex marriage. This is an issue which has divided opinion across the country and my email inbox and post box has borne witness to the differing views of the people of Rugby. Over the recent months I have listened carefully to the arguments put forward both in support of, and against, same sex marriage.
I have always been strongly supportive of the move towards equal rights across all communities and remain so. But this was an issue of conscience which, in the end, each Member of Parliament was asked to consider on an individual basis. I believe that civil partnerships already offer same sex couple the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to each other and because of this I voted against any changes to the current arrangements on Tuesday. Many constituents have contacted me to ask why this issue has been receiving the majority of press headlines, and dominating Parliamentary matters, at a time when there are many other challenges facing the country. For most people reinvigorating the economy, stimulating the business sector, tackling immigration and getting the country back on track and back to work are the most pressing issues facing us all today. Last week I participated in a number of events and round tables, in Westminster and Rugby, looking into how best to stimulate our economy.
As someone who ran a small business for 25 years I know how important small and medium-sized enterprises are to our economy. In 2012 there were an estimated 4.8 million businesses in the UK employing 23.9 million people. Of these 14.1 million were employed by small and medium-sized businesses accounting for almost half of all private sector employment. In the last two years alone one million jobs have been created in the private sector.
These businesses, along with the banks who lend to them, have a significant role to play in our economic revival and I was delighted to attend an event in Rugby last Friday focussing on support for small businesses from the financial sector and from government. We often hear that the banks are refusing to lend but the arguments I hear from those in the financial sector are that they want to lend, and continue to do so, as their own business relies on supporting good projects. I am hopeful that where solid business projects are presented to our banks they are still willing to lend. This in turn leads to further job creation in the private sector as these new small businesses grow and flourish in our towns and cities.
The Government is committed to making the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business and it is committed to restoring our manufacturing industry and supporting our small businesses as part of this initiative. I am fully supportive of these efforts and I know that for many of my constituents this will be welcome news as we focus on the most pressing issues facing our country today.