Oral Answers to Questions

Helen Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 1st October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab)]

1. What recent assessment he has made of the economic effect of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement.

[Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) (Lab)]

11. What assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the risk of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sajid Javid)]

We would prefer to leave with a deal, and we continue to work energetically and determinedly to get a better deal, but the Government are turbo charging their preparations to ensure we are ready to leave without a deal on 31 October. All necessary funds have been made available. The fundamentals of the British economy are strong: real wages are growing; employment is at a record high; and unemployment is at an historic low.

--- Later in debate ---

[Helen Hayes]

There is evidence of a rise in short positions being taken out against the pound. Is the Chancellor confident that the hedge funds taking those short positions, some of which donated to the Prime Minister’s leadership campaign and the Conservative party, have no inside information about the planning or timing of a no-deal Brexit?

[Sajid Javid]

That is such a ridiculous suggestion it does not deserve an answer.