Oral Answers to Questions

George Freeman Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

The principal step we are taking is ensuring that people have more money of their own in their pockets when they go out to work. Cutting income tax for working people is putting £700 back in the pockets of 26 million workers in this country. That helps people with many of those financial pressures, as does freezing council tax, reducing fuel duty and the help we are giving on energy bills. I am sure that if the hon. Lady raises the subject at Transport questions, Ministers might have more to say about it.

[George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con)]

Last year a record half a million new businesses were created—the highest annual rate since records began. In the face of the anti-business rhetoric of Labour, does my right hon. Friend agree that, by reducing red tape, boosting access to entrepreneurs’ relief and making it easier to take on an apprentice, this Government are making high-growth SMEs the engine of our long-term economic plan?

[Danny Alexander]

I totally agree with my hon. Friend. The Labour party does not seem to understand that Governments do not create jobs and growth; it is hard-working businesses and hard-working people in this country who do that. That is why so much of our policy on tax, regulation, infrastructure investment and skills is devoted to ensuring that this country has the best environment for businesses to invest and create jobs. That is the only way our economy will recover sustainably.