Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Willetts and Susan Elan Jones

Thursday 24th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South) (Lab)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the Government’s relationship with the business community.

[The Minister for Universities and Science (Mr David Willetts)]

The Department has an honest, constructive and positive relationship with business based on the shared belief that enterprise and Government working together can get us out of recession—not more taxation, regulation and borrowing. Ministers also have one-to-one strategic relationships with key international companies.

[Susan Elan Jones]

I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. Will he tell us why he does not agree with the chair of GKN, Mr Mike Turner, who is calling for a more active “industrial strategy”? Why does he not listen to him? Surely Mr Turner knows something about business.