Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Edward Leigh Excerpts
Tuesday 6th November 2012

(11 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I am chairing these proceedings. Let me just make it abundantly obvious to the Minister: the hon. Member for Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) gets two questions. He does not get a third and it is not the business of the Opposition to answer questions in this Chamber—that is the responsibility of the right hon. Gentleman in respect of Government policy. Let us be clear about that.

Edward Leigh Portrait Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
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Notwithstanding what we have just heard, surely, given the still very high and worrying levels of public debt, is it not incumbent on all coalition Members, from whatever party, to continue to support the Chancellor in the very difficult decisions he may have to take in the coming months that may amount to further cuts to public spending?

Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
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It is in everyone’s interest to support the path we have embarked on to pay down the deficit. We know that the confidence in the UK economy, which has led to record low interest rates, depends on credibility—a credibility that the policies of the Opposition, by borrowing more, would jeopardise.