A SLIGHT respite this week as the House of Commons is on recess, the children are on half term and the Government has gone into ‘Purdah’ ahead of the EU referendum.

It is a strange term to describe the restrictions placed on the activities of civil servants and on central or local government publishing material and reflects some of the Westminster anachronisms that still linger around government – another is the use of the term ‘prayer meeting’ to describe the weekly meetings of ministers and officials that have nothing whatever to do with acts of worship.

Anachronistic terms aside, it does mean that the huge amount of information flowing out of government regarding the referendum has paused, although of course the main Stronger In and multiple Leave campaigns are still free to present their own arguments and data.

As readers will know, I am campaigning actively for us to remain in the EU, not because I think the EU is perfect in its current form, but because I strongly believe that we will be better off, stronger and safer by remaining in Europe – and can continue to reform the union from the inside rather than sitting on the sidelines.

But in or out, unless you are registered to vote then you won’t have a say and we have until midnight next Tuesday to register. It can be done online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

If you are registered and need a postal or proxy vote, then you have until June 8 and 15 respectively to get the relevant forms in – all you need can be found on the Wiltshire Council website.

The respite is giving me some time to catch up on reading and I was struck by the latest economic news for the south west, showing just how this Government’s long-term economic plan is really having a positive impact.

Employment in the region is up by 205,000 (8.2 per cent) since 2010, there are almost 120,000 more businesses, and over the past five years almost 300,000 people have started an apprenticeship – 51,480 in the past year alone.

Our local economy is in good shape and will only be boosted by the increasing investments in transport, like the electrification of the Great Western mainline or dualling of the A303, and of course the tax and wage changes mean that more than 2.4 million people in the south west have seen a tax cut, while 250,000 people will see a pay rise by 2020 thanks to the new National Living Wage.

It’s a good track record and there is still more to come.