Budget Changes Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Budget Changes

George Howarth Excerpts
Monday 21st March 2016

(8 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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As always, I appreciate my hon. Friend’s spirit of helpfulness but I am afraid that I do not agree with him. It was a manifesto commitment by our party that we would fulfil the 0.7% target.

George Howarth Portrait Mr George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab)
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Harold Wilson once said that a week was a long time in politics. How long is a long-term economic plan? Three days? Four days? Five?

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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Let us be clear: this is a Government who have turned the economy round and delivered this country as the fastest-growing major western economy in 2014. We are forecast to be the fastest-growing again. We have record levels of employment. The deficit will be down by two thirds by the beginning of the next fiscal year. That is what this Government are delivering and will continue to deliver.