Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

David Davis Excerpts
Tuesday 15th March 2022

(2 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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The forecast for the public finances will be updated next week. As for jobs, I am happy to confirm that, according to today’s figures, there are record numbers of people on payrolls, record numbers of vacancies, and, indeed, more people in work now than before the crisis—and the unemployment rate is now lower than, or at the same level as, it was before coronavirus hit.

David Davis Portrait Mr David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden) (Con)
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The Government have repealed many of the powers in the Coronavirus Act 2020, but they have not repealed the Act itself. This means that the Treasury can still order Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to start support schemes such as furlough without recourse to Parliament. Control of expenditure is Parliament’s first responsibility, so are the Government going to repeal the Act in total, or will the Treasury take action to give the proper powers back to Parliament?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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I would be very happy to look into the matter that my right hon. Friend raises.