Business

rory_thehutThe economic profile of Penrith and The Border is unique. It has very low unemployment (with many people holding down multiple jobs) and more self-employed people than almost any other constituency in Britain. Approximately 23 per cent of the population work from home, and 93 per cent work for businesses employing less than ten. A large proportion of my time is spent working with and understanding these small and medium-sized enterprises; understanding where government can do more to help, and where it needs to step back.

I am concerned about the way in which out-of-town supermarkets are affecting our traditional high streets, the difficulty many businesses are still having getting access to loans and funding, and what I see as the dangers of trying to artificially pump prime into industries and economies which simply do not exist in most parts of Cumbria.

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RORY CALLS FOR CLEAR DEADLINES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF ‘PENRITH PONG’

Rory has called for clear deadlines to be set out for improvement of the ‘Penrith Pong’. Mr Stewart made the call after meeting separately with Omega Proteins, Penrith Industrial BID and the Environment Agency on Friday, August 16th. Mr Stewart was shown around the animal rendering facility by Danny Sawrij, director of Leo Group, and the […]

RORY VISITS LOCAL FISH FARM AS IT CELEBRATES NEW PERMITS

Rory met with staff from Cooke Aquaculture to celebrate the launch of the Burn Banks site’s new permit limits and Environmental Management System. He was given a tour of the premises at the foot of Haweswater dam and shown several of the 220,000 juvenile salmon, which had grown up on site. Salmon grow in freshwater released from […]

CUMBRIA DAY A ‘MASSIVE SUCCESS’

Rory together with the other Cumbrian MPs, co-hosted the fourth annual ‘Cumbria Day’ in the Palace of Westminster this afternoon. Showcasing the very best of Cumbrian produce and ingenuity in the heart of London, exhibitors from across the county were invited to showcase their work and produce, while networking and meeting their Members of Parliament, each […]

RORY ASKS COMMUNITIES TO CELEBRATE SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Rory has encouraged communities to celebrate Small Business Saturday on 1 December. Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign which champions the role and importance of small businesses. Occurring annually, on the first Saturday of December, it encourages small businesses to host events and offer discounts, and consumers to visit, support and appreciate them. This […]

‘A FANTASTIC AND FASCINATING VISIT TO ONE OF CUMBRIA’S LATEST SUCCESS STORIES’

Rory has paid tribute to Eden Insulation following a recent visit. Eden Insulation Ltd. is a specialist timber frame factory in Appleby-in-Westmorland, which constructs insulated, airtight products, which make buildings more energy efficient. The company custom makes frames to the exact specifications of architectural plans, using airtightness materials, which aid heat retention and have even secured […]

RORY VISITS HERMES DEPOT IN CARLISLE

Rory visited the Hermes on Kingstown Industrial Estate as the depot prepares for the busy Christmas period.  Mr Stewart was given a tour of the depot, which handles on average around 17,000 parcels a day. As Christmas is approaching the depot is gearing up for its busy period – when around 31,000 parcels will come […]

RESPONSE TO THE CHANCELLOR’S BUDGET STATEMENT

Rory has welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget Statement, which was delivered in the House of Commons this afternoon. Containing pledges on broadband, schools, health and the High Street, this Budget is the expression of Mr Hammond’s ‘balanced approach’, which seeks to combine steady economic stewardship with disciplined investment. It is, Mr Stewart said, […]

RORY CELEBRATES RECORD EMPLOYMENT IN PENRITH AND THE BORDER

Rory has welcomed the latest unemployment figures, which show a fall to the lowest rate in more than four decades, and shows Penrith and the Border as having one of the very lowest rates of unemployment in the country. In the North West, 3,446,494 people are now in work, an increase of 267,494 since 2010. […]