Reading West Tory hopeful Alok Sharma thinks his party’s plans will get people working in Reading and tackle the growing burden of Government debt

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Reading West Tory hopeful Alok Sharma thinks his party’s plans will get people working in Reading and tackle the growing burden of Government debt.

Mr Sharma said in September there were 2,578 people unemployed in the Reading West constituency on Jobseeker’s Allowance.

He said the national debt was forecast to double to £1.4 trillion – equivalent to £22,500 of debt for every man, woman and child.

Conservative plans would establish a single back-to-work programme for everyone on out-of-work benefits.

This would be backed up with new and additional work pairings, apprenticeships, further education college places and vocational education for young people.

There would also be programmes to support self-employment, work clubs and volunteering opportunities to help people prepare for work.

Mr Sharma explained action would also be taken to tackle Britain’s debt crisis by reducing the cost of Government while protecting front line services.

Measures would include reducing the administrative costs of Whitehall and its quangos by:

- Capping the biggest Government pensions. - A pay freeze for public sector workers in 2011 except for the million lowest paid. - Concentrating benefit spending on the poorest and most vulnerable. - Tackling the pensions timebomb while ensuring a decent standard of living in old age.

Mr Sharma said: “Some of the biggest challenges facing Reading are Labour’s jobs crisis and debt crisis. There are already nine people chasing each job vacancy in the Reading West constituency and we will soon each be burdened with £22,500 of government debt.”