Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness Bray of Coln and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 2nd September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

The hon. Lady should celebrate our tax avoidance programme because it ensures that people who avoided paying tax under the previous Labour Government now pay tax under this coalition Government. She should welcome the fact that the programme is bringing in £7 billion more than was the case under the previous Government, not criticise it.

[Angie Bray (Ealing Central and Acton) (Con)]

8. What fiscal steps he is taking to help businesses to invest and export.

Public Spending

Debate between Baroness Bray of Coln and Danny Alexander

Thursday 17th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

The position on that is as I set out to the shadow Chief Secretary: the biggest risk to jobs and growth in this country is failing to take appropriate action to deal with the deficit. That is the context of this Government’s policy. If we continued with the irresponsible habits of the previous Government, we would soon be in a great deal worse a position than the one in which we now find ourselves.

[Angie Bray (Ealing Central and Acton) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that job losses are the tragic consequence of 13 years of misgovernment and massive overspending?

[Danny Alexander]

That is at least partly the case. The challenge that we now face is how to tackle the fundamental economic problems that this country faces. The most serious economic challenge that we face is the scale of the deficit. We have seen in countries elsewhere in Europe and further afield the consequences of failing to act on fiscal consolidation. If we fail to act, the problems for jobs and growth and the prospects for our economy will be a great deal worse than they are today.