Budget 2013 at a glance: George Osborne's key points

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Coventry council leaders urge caution over Chancellor's claims for jobs and growth

LABOUR MPs and council leaders in Coventry urged caution over Chancellor George Osborne’s budget claims for jobs and growth.

Warwickshire Conservative MPs were predictably more upbeat - particularly over specific tax cuts for businesses and low earners.

Jim Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry South, said: "It’s certainly not a budget for growth.

"I didn’t hear anything about support for research and development to help the West Midlands economy. He talked about Michael Heseltine’s plans to grow the region, but so far that’s all been about plans for Birmingham.

"The £3bn extra for infrastructure is not enough to grow the economy and will be delayed.

"Whether help for people to obtain mortgages will help the construction industry remains to be seen, and won’t be coming in for 18 months.

"The public sector in Coventry is taking the brunt again with a one per cent limit on public sector pay."

Mr Cunningham accepted a £2,000 cut in employers’ National Insurance contributions, and one per cent more off corporation tax, were "steps in the right direction" for small businesses in Coventry.

But he said small businesses in Coventry had been crying out for more help to access bank loans.

Leading Coventry city councillor Ed Ruane, cabinet member for housing, said the Chancellor’s "Help to Buy" 20 per cent deposit scheme for new home buyers was the coalition’s fourth strategy to boost the housing market.

Coun Ruane pointed out that in 2011, Mr Osborne pledged 100,000 people would buy their own home - but, 18 months later, only 1,500 had done so.

Rugby Conservative MP Mark Pawsey was upbeat about Mr Osborne bringing forward to 2014 the target to remove all income tax from the first £10,000 of earnings.

He claimed around 34,000 people in Rugby will be over £700 better off.

He said scrapping Labour’s planned fuel duty rise in September would save local families £170 a year, and help local businesses. The employers’ National Insurance cut, he said, would also "support jobs in Rugby."

North Warwickshire Tory MP Dan Byles welcomed "good news" on fuel and beer duty, with Mr Osborne’s "penny off the pint".

He welcomed raising the personal tax allowance to £10,000 by next year as "practical help for low earners".

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