Wales

Thursday 28th February 2013 Ministerial Corrections

Economic Policy

The following is the answer given by the Secretary of State for Wales, the right hon. Member for Clwyd West (Mr Jones), to a question from the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Owen Smith) during Wales Question Time on 27 February 2013.

[Owen Smith (Pontypridd) (Lab)]

Last week the Joseph Rowntree Foundation warned that Wales faces a decade of destitution as a result of policies pursued by this Government, and the Welsh Government said that £600 million is being taken out of the pockets of ordinary Welsh people. Is the Secretary of State telling the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues what people are saying about his Government in Wales, or is he just there to cheerlead for policies that are hammering his country?

[Mr Jones]

If this Government were to pursue the policies advocated by the Labour party and try to fix a debt crisis simply by borrowing more, the plight of the individuals whom the hon. Gentleman mentions would be infinitely worse. So far we are providing 109,000 additional jobs for the people of Wales, and we are reducing their tax bills and doing our best to ensure that they get sustainable private sector jobs. The hon. Gentleman has no answer to that.

[Official Report, 27 February 2013, Vol. 559, c. 295-96.]

Letter of correction from David Jones:

An error has been identified in the oral answer given to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Owen Smith).

The correct answer should have been:

[Mr Jones]

If this Government were to pursue the policies advocated by the Labour party and try to fix a debt crisis simply by borrowing more, the plight of the individuals whom the hon. Gentleman mentions would be infinitely worse. So far we are providing 44,000 additional jobs for the people of Wales, and we are reducing their tax bills and doing our best to ensure that they get sustainable private sector jobs. The hon. Gentleman has no answer to that.