Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire spoke out this week at Conservative Party conference in Manchester on behalf of local small businesses.

In the main debate on the economy, she asked the following question: "I was called yesterday by a small business in West Worcestershire. They are in the construction industry and have a full order book. Their bank is not prepared to give them credit to expand. Another small local start-up business cannot find a bank who will take them on. If elected, what would a Conservative government do on Day One to help small businesses get the banking services they need to help the economy grow out of the recession?

The answer given by Baroness Noakes, Shadow Treasury Minister, was that there would be a £50 billion national loan guarantee scheme to help small businesses get credit.