Local Government Finance Bill

Lord Barwell Excerpts

Tuesday 24th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Helen Jones]

I am very grateful to the Minister for giving way, but I have to say that he is advancing an entirely specious argument. He is comparing growth at a time when the Labour Government were investing hugely in cities such as Liverpool and when the economy was growing with a time when that investment has been mostly withdrawn under this Government and the economy is flatlining. Anyone who seriously thinks we will get the same amount of growth in the next—

[Gavin Barwell (Croydon Central) (Con)]

It is relative.

[Helen Jones]

No, the Minister quoted the actual growth in business rates. Anyone who thinks we are going to get the same amount of growth in the next few years is living in cloud cuckoo land.