News from Southampton Labour

Ministers refuse to comment on whether New Deal will be cut

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham is challenging Government ministers to provide a straight answer on whether or not funding for Thornhill’s New Deal will be scrapped.

Thornhill has been benefiting from the second round of the New Deal for Communities regeneration scheme which is scheduled to be completed in Spring next year. However, it is widely suspected that the Coalition Government plans to cut funding to the scheme, forcing it to end this October, six months ahead of schedule.

At Community and Local Government Questions this week Labour MP Shabana Mahmood directly asked whether the Government was planning to cut the New Deal for Communities funding early. No Minister was prepared to answer the question until, after prompting from the Speaker, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles dodged the question.

Mr Denham said: “It is astonishing that Ministers are unable to answer basic questions on decisions that they are taking. It looks like regeneration projects – such as the one that’s providing such benefit in Thornhill – are under threat and jobs and investment are at risk. Yet no Minister was prepared to answer the question.

“If it’s true the Coalition is planning to scarp the New Deal for areas like Thornhill, it yet again shows that we’re not ‘all in it together’ and that the Coalition has broken its promise not to balance the books on the backs of the poorest.”

Other news from Southampton Labour

• Water bills hiked as Southampton Council and Southern Water waste public money - 2 February 2012
• Southampton Labour MPs urge constituents to claim free heating and insulation help - 1 February 2012
• Welfare changes hit poorest areas in Southampton hardest - 1 February 2012