Financial Assistance (Ireland)

Debate between Lord Walney and George Osborne

Monday 22nd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Osborne]

Ireland had over-leveraged banks, and they were poorly regulated. We are all picking up the pieces of something similar in the UK.

[John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) (Lab/Co-op)]

Given the stark consequences of Ireland’s failure to grow, will the Chancellor assure the House that he has not downgraded his commitment to a White Paper on growth in Britain?

[Mr Osborne]

I am absolutely committed to setting out our growth policies—[Interruption.] Perhaps I could make the observation that I did not think that today, given the other things that are going on, would be a particularly good day for the House to discuss an economic paper from the Government. I thought it better to take the time to explain what is happening in Ireland and what we are doing to assist it.