Economy: Public Finances Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: HM Treasury

Economy: Public Finances

Earl of Listowel Excerpts
Tuesday 24th March 2015

(9 years, 1 month ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Newby Portrait Lord Newby
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, I was referring to the Government’s Budget.

Earl of Listowel Portrait The Earl of Listowel (CB)
- Hansard - -

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the public should also keep in mind the fact that nearly half of local government spending is on adult social care and the care of children, and that includes 14.63% on children? While local government has risen to the challenges to its funding over recent years, there is real concern that it cannot take much more.

Lord Newby Portrait Lord Newby
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, the way in which we ensure that local government and all other aspects of government are funded effectively and appropriately is by having a very strong, thriving, sustainable economy. The fact that our growth rate is the highest among the G7, unemployment is down and employment is up, is the biggest long-term guarantor of a sustainable funding basis for local government and, indeed, all other forms of government expenditure.