Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

George Freeman Excerpts
Tuesday 22nd March 2011

(13 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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Manufacturers, including the one to which the hon. Lady has referred, benefit to the tune of £250 million from the reductions in corporation tax that we announced in the June Budget. That is what we have done to support British industry. As I have said, under the Labour Government British industry shrank: while the share of the economy taken by financial services grew by a third, the manufacturing share halved.

George Freeman Portrait George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con)
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Does my right hon. Friend agree that, as we see signs that business confidence in the economy is being restored, tomorrow’s Budget presents a key opportunity to support the high-technology entrepreneurs who put their own wealth at risk in starting the businesses of tomorrow?

George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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Yes, we will support enterprise and innovation in tomorrow’s Budget, but my hon. Friend will have to be patient and wait until then to hear about the precise measures that are involved.