More information always available online at Paul’s website paulclarkmp.com

There’s more inside >>>>>>

ECONOMY REPORT

More expert help for you in Gillingham and Rainham

Dear Constituent, My undivided attention over the year ahead is the economy, and what I can do to support you through the economic downturn. This is the second in my series of Economy Reports. The Reports are designed to keep you up-to-date with what I’m doing to support you locally during the financial downturn. Best wishes

• Regular ‘Credit Crunch Surgeries’ launched to offer practical, expert advice

• Five steps taken to help you at the start of 2009 • What the Government is doing to stabilise the economy • Your questions on the economy answered • Plans for a Medway Business Summit this Spring • How you can use my new website to get in touch

When managing your finances or

finding a job gets tough, you want to know that there is expert help on

hand. That’s why I’ve launched my new Credit Crunch Surgeries across

Gillingham and Rainham, to offer you

practical advice over the year ahead.

Working with experts from Citizens Advice Bureau, Jobcentre Plus, and my

own team, every month I open my

doors to anyone and everyone who needs advice about keeping their

finances on track, help getting a job, or support with their housing situation.

This is in addition to my regular weekly

surgeries, which continue as normal.

So if you want to come along to one of the surgeries, look out in the local

papers for times and dates; give my

offices a call; or check the website at paulclarkmp.com for more information.

Paul Clark MPPaul Clark MPPaul Clark MPPaul Clark MP

Spring 2009 Update

CONTACT ME

Call the office on 01634 574261 Email me at clarkp@parliament.uk Write to me at 62a Watling Street, Gillingham, ME7 2YN Or visit my website for more information at

paulclarkmp.com available all the time

CITIZENS ADVICE

01634 888182

Five key steps to support the economy in 2009

• National action that will help us locally in Gillingham and

Rainham

DEBTLINE

LOCAL COUNCIL

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USEFUL CONTACTS

Here’s a list of useful contacts for you to keep. If you want to contact me, I look forward to hearing from you!

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A package of measures aimed at freeing up lending of

more than £2bn for the automotive industry

An investment programme of £40 billion across the UK in 2009

Giving every pensioner an extra £60 in at the start of this year to help with the daily cost of living

Increasing child benefit to £20 a week in January 2009 instead of April 2009, providing extra support

Creating as many as 100,000 new jobs in the UK to act as a counter to the economic downturn

0808 808 4000

01634 333333

Paul Clark MP

Working together to support the economy We are facing, perhaps for the first time, a truly global financial crisis. This isn’t a time to sit back and ride out the storm, but instead to put in place a whole range of measures to support Britain’s economy. But we can’t do this alone. We need to make sure that we work together with other countries to get through the global downturn. That’s why I’m delighted that the UK is this year’s host country for the G20 summit, which brings to London 20 of the world’s biggest economies, including the United States and new US President Barack Obama. To make comments on Paul’s column , visit his blog at

paulclarkmp.com

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I’M ONLINE

I have my own website

paulclarkmp.com where you can:

• Get updates on

my work

• Watch my

MPTV videos

• Take part in

regular surveys

• Email me

• And much more

Find out more about

my website on the back page of this newsletter! >>>>>>>>>

2009 Economy: Q&A • My responses to your questions on the economy

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Alice (Rainham) said: I own a small business in Medway. I would like to see a central point for small businesses to go to for help and advice. Also, I see the Government bailing out banks and the car industry, but what is available for smaller businesses like mine?

My reply: Small businesses remain the foundation of the economy, especially in towns like ours. The Government has set up Business Link to support small businesses and more information can be found at businesslink.gov.uk. Plus, many businesses can now get a Government ‘health check’, extra time to pay tax bills, and extra funding for training

Helping you keep your home Extra support on offer to help homeowners in Gillingham and Rainham

To make sure that you don’t lose your home if you can’t keep up mortgage repayments, additional support for homeowners will be available over the next few months. In addition, new rules that were introduced at the end of last year mean that repossession is an absolute last resort. The Government has managed to get lenders to agree to look at all possible options to prevent it. You may also be eligible for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.

Steps to take if you’re having problems meeting your mortgage repayments:

More information is available on my website, paulclarkmp.com

• Look into the Mortgage Rescue Scheme

• If you rent, ask Medway Council if you are eligible for housing benefit

• Call my office or come to one of my advice surgeries

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Michael (Gillingham) said: I have recently been made redundant and I am considering retraining. Is there any more information you can give me about the support on offer for people to retrain? I have heard a lot about apprenticeships but I’ve no idea where to begin looking.

My reply: Yes, there is support on offer. You can now do apprenticeships in a wide range of new areas, covering more than 180 different careers and about 80 industry sectors. They are open to women and men and to younger and older workers, and you can apply whether or not you are already in employment. Contact the Apprenticeships Service, Apprenticeships Service, Apprenticeships Service, Apprenticeships Service, www.apprenticeships.org.uk, 0800 015 0600.

Questions? Concerns? Comments?

Email Paul at clarkp@parliament.uk if you have any questions about any issue in Gillingham, Rainham, or Westminster @

Paul Clark MP