Oral Answers to Questions

Elizabeth Truss Excerpts

Tuesday 6th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

The hon. Gentleman should be aware that HMRC is writing to all new businesses set up in the last 12 months to ensure that they are aware of the scheme and to encourage them to apply for it. It is important that they do so, but this is just one of a series of measures that we have taken to ensure that more new jobs are created in the private sector. I would have thought that the hon. Gentleman welcomed the fact that over the last year there have been 500,000 net new jobs created in the private sector.

[Elizabeth Truss (South West Norfolk) (Con)]

9. What steps he is taking in respect of further supply-side reform of the UK economy.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Mark Hoban)]

“The Plan for Growth”, published alongside the Budget this year, sets out the Government’s plan to put the UK on a path to sustainable long-term economic growth. The second phase of the Government’s growth review will report later this year.

[Elizabeth Truss]

I thank the Minister for his answer. In the last decade the UK has fallen from 14th to 89th in terms of burden of regulation and from 14th to 95th in terms of extent of taxation. Does the Minister agree that we should be freeing up companies, rather than spending money that we do not have, to drive economic growth?