Basingstoke is one of the top ten centres of employment in the South East, and supporting local businesses is one of Maria’s key priorities

Having worked in business for almost 20 years before becoming an MP, Maria has first hand experience.

“Basingstoke remains an attractive place for business to create new jobs because of the new investment we have secured in the past 5 years: the regeneration of Basing View, funding for thousands of new apprenticeship starts, road improvements and affordable housing. Last year more than 1000 new businesses were created in the Borough and over the past 5 years we have seen 4,000 new apprenticeships started. Confidence is returning. This year we will have new employers like Network Rail, John Lewis and Waitrose making Basingstoke their home, bringing hundreds more new jobs to the town. Over the past 5 years unemployment has fallen from more than 2 500 to 759, one of the lowest levels of unemployment in the country and youth unemployment has fallen by more than 50%.”

Maria has also launched the Basingstoke Inclusion Zone supported by Marks and Spencer, the AA, Sainsbury’s and Fujitsu to help encourage more employers to support adults with a learning disability into employment.