Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Brian Binley Excerpts
Thursday 2nd February 2012

(12 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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If the hon. Gentleman actually read the analysis produced by the Bank of England and, more recently, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, he would understand why the economy is growing slowly. The combination of higher commodity and oil prices last year and, more recently, the crisis in the eurozone is affecting all developed countries, many of them much more than the UK.

Brian Binley Portrait Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South) (Con)
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As confidence in growth continues to diminish among members of the small business community, does the Secretary of State share my view that the Chancellor should use more than one tool to get the economy moving? Many people think that he has lost the tool box. What influence is the Secretary of State bringing to bear on behalf of small businesses to nudge the Chancellor into creating greater private sector demand?

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right to stress the crucial importance of small business. As he well knows from the autumn statement, the Chancellor has come forward with ideas about credit easing to make credit more easily available at lower rates to small companies, and we will wait for the Budget to see how that will be elaborated.