Spending Review 2020 and OBR Forecast Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Spending Review 2020 and OBR Forecast

Gary Sambrook Excerpts
Wednesday 25th November 2020

(3 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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I am sure the hon. Lady heard the answer to the previous question on this issue. She keeps mentioning this 3 million figure without giving an explanation of whether she agrees that 1.5 million of those people should be included, given that they make the majority of their earnings from employment and are eligible to be furloughed. Indeed, that approach was supported by all trade organisations at the time when the scheme was launched.

Gary Sambrook Portrait Gary Sambrook (Birmingham, Northfield) (Con)
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Fifteen years after the MG Rover collapse, there is still 150 acres of unused land in Longbridge that could be used to provide much-needed jobs locally. Will the Chancellor support my campaign, along with Mayor Andy Street, to make sure that Longbridge is at the top of the list when it comes to levelling-up and that we have those jobs right across Northfield?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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That sounds like an excellent idea. I hope that the £400 million brownfield fund, which is part of our housing fund, could be of help. I know that Mayor Andy Street has spoken to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government about how best he can access the brownfield fund, and this sounds like exactly the kind of project that it is designed to help.