Contributions
1,234 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsThe Office for Value for Money is an important part of our spending review process, as we undertake for the first time in 17 years a zero-based review of every single pound of…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsThe fiscal rules are non-negotiable, and they will be met.09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI am pleased that the hon. Member can afford the subscription to Bloomberg News ; I cannot, unfortunately, so I could not read the article to which he refers. He inadvertently…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI lead for the Treasury on inter-ministerial relationships with Finance Ministers in the devolved Governments. I regularly meet my counterparts, and I will meet them in Wales in…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI am always grateful to see Conservative Members welcome me to the House. Financial markets are always evolving, as the shadow Chancellor knows, so there is a long-standing…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI am pleased that the right hon. Gentleman enjoyed my performance—I have not even had my first cup of coffee yet this morning. Let me answer some of his questions. [ Interruption.…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI think the question was whether I was going to demand that the Chancellor come back from her trade trip to China. I will not, no.09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI thank the hon. Member for his question. He will note from the Prime Minister’s plan for change that the NHS is the subject of one of this Government’s key commitments, with…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsOne of the issues was that the Conservative party made a whole list of unfunded spending commitments. They promised hospitals and train stations, they had unsettled pay disputes…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsYes, I can. There is no denying that the economic inheritance that we were given by the Conservative party makes life very difficult for us: it means that we have to take…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsThe right hon. Gentleman may not wish to reflect on his party’s performance in government, but I am afraid he has to. Although this is a new Government—we have been in office for…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsIt might have been legitimate for the Conservatives to say that their economic policy was to borrow for day-to-day costs—as they did. That could be a decision that they took. What…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsYou will correctly tell me, Mr Speaker, that it would not be right for me to comment on legal proceedings, but I am happy to say that one of the huge lessons for the country, for…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsAt the autumn Budget, the Chancellor invested in frontline public services, because we recognise that people rely on them, but also because functioning public services are an…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsI very much agree. That is why fiscal stability and economic responsibility are at the heart of this Labour Government and the Chancellor’s agenda. Members on the Opposition…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsThe Chancellor meets the Governor of the Bank of England on a regular basis and will continue to do so.09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. His constituents will know from their family finances that they cannot just put the bills on the credit card every month without having a plan…09 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Finances: Borrowing CostsRestoring economic and political stability is important. When the markets observed the behaviour of the Conservative party in government, it is no wonder they did not want to…09 Jan 2025HANSARDCrown Estate Bill [Lords]I will make some progress. The second objective of the Bill is to enable the Crown Estate to invest in capital-intensive projects more effectively. It does so by empowering the…07 Jan 2025HANSARDCrown Estate Bill [Lords]I am continually grateful for the team effort, and I am grateful to my hon. Friends for having paid such close attention to the Bill.07 Jan 2025