Conservative Party: Our contract for jobs

David Cameron has launched the Conservatives' contract for jobs.

Speaking in Newquay, he said "real change isn’t just the Government playing its part but it's when everyone takes part in and helps build a stronger country".

"And nowhere is that more true than our economy because you all know as business people it’s not Governments that create jobs it is businesses that create jobs".

Cameron went on to outline his conctract for jobs that explains how a Conservative Government will help business to create jobs.

"The first thing we will do is stop Labour's jobs tax", he said. "The craziest thing we could do right now is put up National Insurance contributions and make it more expensive to employ people".

He also said that for too long it has been possible "to go on claiming welfare even when you’re offered a job that you could do". "If you reject a job to start with you lose your welfare for one month, then three months and then up to three years".

In addition, he said, "we will have the biggest, boldest,  most comprehensive programme of getting Britain back to work any Government has ever introduced".

Click here to read David's speech

Click here to download the contract, or read it below.

Boost enterprise

We will:

• stop Labour’s jobs tax, which threatens to kill the recovery;
• cut corporation tax rates for all companies, and abolish taxes on the first ten jobs created by new businesses in their first year; and,
• introduce Work for Yourself, a new scheme to help unemployed would-be entrepreneurs start their own business by giving them access to a business mentor and start-up loans.

Reform welfare to get Britain working

We will:

• by the end of 2010, create a single Work Programme to replace Labour’s failed employment programmes – giving unprecedented levels of support to everyone who is on out-of-work benefits to find a job;
• make sure unemployed people are given immediate help to find a job, as well as intensive support as soon as they need it – immediately for those really struggling to find work, and at six months for the under 25s;
• engage voluntary and private sector providers, who will only be paid in full for getting people into sustainable work, to deliver tailored back-to-work help; and,
• develop  local Work Clubs – places where people looking for work can gather together to exchange skills, find opportunities, make useful contacts and provide one another with support.

Cut benefits for those who won’t work

We will:

• cut the benefits of anyone on Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) who refuses to join the Work Programme;
• cut the benefits of anyone who refuses to take up reasonable job offers: the first time for one month; the second time for three months; and, the third time for up to three years;
• cut benefits for up to three years for anyone caught repeatedly committing benefit fraud;
• reassess all current claimants of Incapacity Benefit – if you are fit for work then they will be transferred onto JSA and their benefits will be reduced; and,
• require long-term benefit claimants who fail to find work to ‘work for the dole’ on community work programmes.

Give people the skills they need to work

We will:

• for the under 25s, provide a huge range of extra training opportunities with 400,000 apprenticeship, training and college places over two years;
• give small and medium-sized businesses a £2,000 bonus for every apprentice they hire; and,
• create a range of business-led training places to help people on the road to employment, with 50,000 places in the hospitality and leisure industry to begin with.

Make sure work pays

We will:

• keep the minimum wage;
• protect tax credits for low and middle income families; and,
• work to reduce the very high marginal tax rates faced by many people on low incomes who want to return to work or increase their earnings.

Help to create green hi-tech jobs

We will:

• help create tens of thousands of skilled jobs through our Green Deal, which will deliver energy efficiency improvements to homes across the country;
• build a new high speed rail network, boosting green transport and creating a new generation of skilled jobs; and,
• refocus research and development tax credits to help hi-tech firms and start-ups create jobs.