Lloyds Group job losses - Minister's reply

The loss of 800-900 jobs at Lloyds group (formerly HBOS, formerly Equitable Life) was a devastating blow to the Aylesbury economy. You may remember that on 1 December last year I secured an adjournment debate in the Commons to ask the government, which has designated Aylesbury as a growth area,  to respond by diverting money from existing budgets to provide a package of help for the sacked employees and to attract new employers to the town.

The Industry Minister, Ian Lucas, was courteous in replying to the debate and has since written to me at length about the six specific proposals that I made. The text is HERE. To be honest, while his tone is sympathetic, there is very little on offer in the way of help. It’s quite a contrast to the Government’s £60 million emergency package to deal with the consequences of the Corus job losses on Teesside.

I discussed Mr Lucas’s reply with Aylesbury Vale Council and others responsible for economic development in our area and sent a further letter back to him to ask him to look again at the case that I and local council and business leaders have been making.

Below I have included the Minister’s letter to me following the adjournemt debate of the 1st December and my subsequent reply to that letter.

My reply to the Minister’s Letter – 25-02-10

Minister’s Letter to me after the adjournment debate – 01-12-09

To read the Bucks Herald’s report please click here.