Contributions
464 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUK EconomyThe right hon. Gentleman makes an interesting point, but I would say that our economy entered difficult times at a different point in the cycle from certain other economies. To…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyI thank the hon. Lady for focusing on inflation. She is right that it is critical, and bringing it down is a focus for the Government. The House has heard her point about the…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyFirst, our record on decarbonisation beats anywhere else in the G7, so we do not take lessons from the United States or any other country in that regard. In relation to the green…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyI thank my hon. Friend for that question—I would say that the loss of large retail groups in Norfolk is the House’s gain. His point about the international context is serious and…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyMy right hon. Friend is correct that things are starting to get better for many people across the country, including small businesses. We have more than halved inflation, which is…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyThe hon. Gentleman will do well. There is nobody on the Government Benches who welcomes adverse economic situations for anybody. That is why we are doing everything we…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyIt is—and I would add something else: the figures for home repossession were much higher when there was a recession under the Labour Government in 2008-09, in comparison with our…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyAll I would say to the hon. Gentleman is that we are in a very challenging international context and we have performed better than the international forecasts. We had high…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyIt is definitely above my pay grade to call elections. In relation to GDP per capita statistics, which are important—the point of them is to try to get a sense of what is…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyWe built on the trade and co-operation agreement through the Windsor framework, and the Opposition do not propose to change it. Indeed, the TCA is fundamental to the stability of…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyI do not agree with the hon. Lady. I will not repeat everything I just said to the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders), but this Government and this…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyTo increase investment we brought in full expensing at the last fiscal event, which should represent an increase over the forecast period of £14 billion of investment and deal…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyI have already explained the Chief Secretary’s comments. In relation to my own, I was referring to current spending and not overall spending. I clarified that as well. Look, there…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyLet me be clear with the hon. Lady, whom I have a huge amount of time for as a very good Member of Parliament: it is not our position that everything is okay. There has been a…19 Feb 2024HANSARDUK EconomyI do not think that I will quite agree with my right hon. Friend. It is very important that we leave the Bank of England to do its work and respect its independent mandate, but…19 Feb 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillIt is a pleasure to speak to the Bill and, as always, to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hosie. I congratulate the hon. Member for Sunderland Central on introducing it and on…07 Feb 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillExactly—an auspicious year for me. The Bill amends section 7(3) of the 1986 Act to exclude three specified sources of funding from the 50% wholesale funding limit for building…07 Feb 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillI was. I just realised that it is almost 38 years later.07 Feb 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillIt is worth explaining the dynamic, because it is not straightforward. In essence, the point of the Bill is to level the playing field between building societies and retail banks…07 Feb 2024HANSARDHomeowners with Mortgages: SupportI would say two things in response to the hon. Lady. First, the best thing we can do is to help people with the cost of living, not increase their taxes, as the SNP in Scotland…06 Feb 2024