Alison Taylor

I congratulate my hon. Friends the Members for Bradford West (Naz Shah) and for Harlow (Chris Vince) on their excellent speeches in proposing the Loyal Address and seconding it. It is an absolute pleasure to support the Government’s programme for this Session of Parliament. They have set out a challenging programme to build the security and growth that our country so badly needs. After many years of stagnation, this Government, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Cabinet, are laying the foundations for sustained growth and the economic prosperity that my constituents in Paisley and Renfrewshire North so badly need. That long-term thinking has been missing from politics for a long time. My constituents need to see the life chances of their children correspond with their talent and effort. Too many young people have started to think that a life in another country would be a better alternative. We need to appreciate our young people’s efforts more when they join the workforce. In my career and my experience, I am yet to work with a young person from whom I have not learned enormously in so many ways, making me a better leader, a better manager, a better person and a better business owner. This Government’s transformative actions around employment law—abolishing zero-hours contracts, increasing the minimum wage and legislating for more job security—are all things that this House should celebrate. We will lose our young people if they do not feel rewarded and appreciated. They will literally vote with their feet and move away. We need to do better at explaining that an apprenticeship is every bit as worthwhile as a degree. In Canada and Australia, centre-left Governments are working well for their people, and that in part explains why many young people want to leave the UK and travel there. We are losing to other countries skilled young people who have been nurtured, educated and cared for from birth here. One industry where we need to create and nurture more apprenticeships is my former industry: the property sector. It is a key economic driver and delivery body for the homes and businesses of the future. No other sector has the ability to transition our economy to a greener, less energy-hungry society while providing hope and new environments that will inspire and attract our young people to stay. It is true that places like Paisley are changing. It is a new world, with historic buildings being brought back to life, new cafés opening, public and civic buildings being restored, and a programme of cultural events too. But even for a great town like Paisley, it is not enough. Change is not quick enough or slick enough. The truth is that we need real investment in our towns in Scotland, and that requires UK Government money. The local authorities are doing their best, but they are undercapitalised and under pressure. They are under-resourced, particularly when it comes to staff such as town planners, environmentalists and building surveyors. We need more initiatives like the city deals, Pride in Place and the UK town of culture, and we need them to be supercharged. To do that, hon. Friends, we need courage, hard work, political and economic stability, and gritty determination from each and every one of us.