MP responds to Chancellor's Budget for 2006

Responding to the Chancellor's 10th budget, local MP Tim Farron has welcomed the commitment to education through more capital funding for schools and more resources for newly qualified teachers.

However, Tim is concerned about what has been left out from this Budget and the issues it failed to address.

Speaking this afternoon, Tim said: "For my constituency, what is noticeable in this Budget is not what was said, but what has not been said. Whilst the Chancellor mentioned affordable housing, he has not lifted the mandatory right to buy which stops the development of shared ownership schemes. He has not offered any extra money to help local hospital trusts to prevent cuts and he has done nothing to help farmers who have not yet received their Single Farm Payments. These are all areas my constituency in desperate need of help and the Chancellor has not offered it".