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Responding to the Downturn and Planning the Future Economy

The Conservative party is about the only party that seems to think that the UK is the only country affected by the downturn. We know very well that the policies pursued by this Government in intervening have been followed by countries around the world. We have had disappointing figures, but in the long run, the measures we have taken have ensured that the recession will not be as deep or as painful as it could have been if we had adopted the policies of the Conservative party, who in previous recessions simply stood back and said, ““Let the recession wash over us and let businesses and individuals go under.”” This region, and south Yorkshire in particular, suffered particularly badly from that attitude. We have been on people’s side and helped them through it. I have just talked about the 8,000 businesses benefiting from the free financial health check. On business tax deferral, 16,910 agreements have been drawn up in Yorkshire and the Humber, which have helped businesses spread the payment of £228 million in taxes over a timetable they can afford.