Finance (No. 2) Bill Debate

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Department: HM Treasury
David Nuttall Portrait Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con)
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Will the hon. Lady give way on that point?

Kirsty Blackman Portrait Kirsty Blackman
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I was just about to finish.

David Nuttall Portrait Mr Nuttall
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We have hours.

Stephen Pound Portrait Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)
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That’s not a challenge.

David Nuttall Portrait Mr Nuttall
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Well, we have plenty of time. I am grateful to the hon. Lady for giving way. Does she not agree that by reducing taxes, particularly corporation tax, in this country, we are more likely to attract inward investment and new companies from around the globe to this country, thereby producing the taxes to pay for our public services?

Kirsty Blackman Portrait Kirsty Blackman
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I do not believe that there is a huge amount of evidence for that. When companies are looking at where to base their headquarters and their staff, corporation tax does not feature all that high up the list. They are looking for good infrastructure, schools and support for individuals in the community. Corporation tax is not at the top of the list, so I would do other things first to try to encourage inward investment, if it were me who was in government and making those decisions.