Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Selous Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

You are right, Mr Speaker, and I beg your pardon.

[Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con)]

3. What recent estimate he has made of the rate of employment.

[Richard Harrington (Watford) (Con)]

11. What recent estimate he has made of the rate of employment.

[Danny Alexander]

Employment in the UK is increasing and, under this Government, has exceeded 30 million for the first time in our country’s history. Over the last year, the employment rate has risen 0.6 percentage points to 72.1%, higher than that in the US, Italy and France, and the EU28 and the G7 averages. In the last year, employment has grown faster in the UK than it has in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the EU28 and the G7.

[Andrew Selous]

Given that some Members of this House were predicting that the Government’s long-term economic plan would lead to the disappearance of 1 million jobs, can the Chief Secretary remind the House how many new jobs have been created in the last three years?

[Danny Alexander]

My hon. Friend is right and he draws attention to one Member who told the CBI annual conference that our plan would lead to the disappearance of 1 million jobs—[Hon. Members: “Who was it?”] It was the Leader of the Opposition. In fact, employment has increased by 1.3 million, with more than 1.6 million jobs created in the private sector—proof, if anyone should need it, that our economic plan is working for the United Kingdom.