2025: Week 11 - Spring Statement, Volunteer drivers and UTC success

This week has seen the sad news that the No Limits Café in Newton Abbot has announced their closure. The forthcoming increase in employer NI contributions has been the main factor in this decision, although difficulties with Access to Work, the scheme run by the DWP to enable disabled people to overcome the obstacles they may face when accessing employment has also played a part.

It is particularly frustrating that this wonderful facility is unable to carry on doing the good work they have been doing against a backdrop of the Government slashing disability benefits claiming that this is the only way to get people back into work. No Limits is precisely the sort of business model the Government should be supporting if they are serious about making employment accessible to our disabled people, not making policy that forces them into closure.

On a more cheerful note, I was delighted to welcome representatives from South Devon University Technical College (UTC) based in Newton Abbot, to Westminster this week, to speak to the Science, Innovation and Technical Committee about the fantastic work they are doing in our community.  The UTC is providing a unique education that can be accessed by 14-19 year olds who wish to follow a specific career pathway.  Alongside the core subjects of English, Maths and Double Science students can follow a specialist technical curriculum in either Engineering, Health Sciences or Digital Technology.  These three industries provide huge employment opportunities for young people, and it is an education built on the principles of employability and the skills required to be successful at work.

In Westminster we had the spring statement from the Chancellor, and sadly it seems that we are entering another period of austerity.  It really isn’t possible to cut your way to growth!  This was a huge missed opportunity to deliver the change people were crying out for after years of Conservative chaos and mismanagement.

The Government must change course and immediately launch negotiations for a new UK-EU customs union, to kickstart growth, boost small businesses, and secure the vital revenue that our public services desperately need.

It is very unsettling that the Government are refusing to rule out cuts to the Digital Services Tax, in part due to pressure from Trump and Musk – especially when families and disabled people across Britain are facing eye-watering cuts that will plunge 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children.

And underpinning all this, is the Government’s complete failure to grow our economy, with the OBR slashing this year’s growth forecast. 

Finally, I asked a question in Parliament about volunteer drivers for community transport organisations. 

Anyone who took their driving licence before 1997 automatically got a D1 minibus class. This category was removed as an automatic entitlement in 1997 and drivers now face having to take an additional driving test with associated training which can cost up to £1,880 to add this category.  This is making it increasingly difficult for Community Transport organisations to recruit volunteer drivers.  I shall continue to campaign on this issue as we must not lose these important community services.