A COUPLE of weeks ago, the Chancellor delivered his Budget.

No one can pretend it was radical or revolutionary, but most will think that’s a good thing. There's quite enough turmoil at the moment.

On a local level, it was promising to see £215m set aside for Oxfordshire to build infrastructure, deliver new homes and increase economic productivity across the county. I am also pleased that a report from the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has recommended a new station in Wantage and Grove.

I will continue to work with local authorities and LEPs to push for a new station and with my fellow MPs to lobby for continued investment in the area.

The main focus of the budget was housing – a deeply controversial issue in our part of the world. Nevertheless, people do know that we need to build more houses, as property ownership has fallen dramatically and houses have become unaffordable for many people. I am therefore encouraged that the Chancellor has outlined the Government’s ambition to increase housing supply to its highest level since 1970 by the end of this Parliament. This will put us on track to deliver 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s with £15.3bn new financial support for house building over the next five years – taking the total to at least £44bn.

Stamp duty has been abolished on homes under £300,000 for first-time buyers. This is a welcome step to ensure more people are able to take the first rung on the property ladder and 95 per cent of first-time buyers will benefit.

A further £6.3bn was announced for the NHS. £3.5bn of this will be invested in upgrading buildings and improving care. £2.8bn will go towards improving A&E performance. While none of us can be in any doubt about the continued pressures facing our health and care system, this is a substantial commitment which will support services in Oxfordshire.

In response to concerns over the rollout of Universal Credit, a £1.5bn package was unveiled. Households who qualify will be able to access a month’s worth of support within five days, via an interest-free advance, from January. This can be repaid over 12 months. Claimants will also be eligible for Universal Credit from the day they apply, rather than after seven days. These developments will help more people more quickly and set the basis for enabling people to stand on their own two feet.

I was particularly encouraged by the significant investments for the future in skills, infrastructure and research and development. The Chancellor also announced that the government will make a £385m investment in 5G and broadband, £75m for the growth of artificial intelligence and committed to allow driverless cars on our roads by 2021. This was coupled with an important £2.5bn investment fund to help start-up companies grow and prosper. Moving forward it is vital that the UK remains at the forefront of the technological revolution and these announcements are a positive step in the right direction.