Labour South East Minister Jonathan Shaw and South East Labour MEP Peter Skinner welcomed the news today that 2,520 businesses across Hampshire have used Labour's Time to Pay scheme - ensuring that extra money has remained in Hampshire's cash flow, boosting the economy and protecting local jobs.

Time to Pay allows small businesses to defer their tax payments to HM Revenue and Customs. This keeps cash in the economy - with the aim of helping keep businesses growing through the credit crunch.

South East Minister, Jonathan Shaw, said: "Labour is committed to providing real help during this economic downturn and this straightforward scheme has had a big impact on the local economy in Hampshire.

"This Labour government is giving real support to all during this recession. If the government had done as little as the Tory government during the recession of the early 1990s - its been estimated by experts that up to another 300,000 jobs across the country would have been hit by the credit crunch."

Peter Skinner, Labour South East MEP, said:
"Keeping extra money in the Hampshire economy is vital when it comes to protecting local jobs in these tough times. While Labour are investing in families and public services in the downturn and working with our European partners to secure more trade abroad and more jobs at home, the
Conservatives are committed to cuts at the worst possible time, and isolation in Europe - even at the cost of jobs at home."