Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Jacob Rees-Mogg Excerpts
Tuesday 12th March 2013

(11 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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We are increasing capital spending more than in the plans we inherited from the Labour Government. This Government are spending more on roads than the previous Government did and, of course, the deficit has come down by 25%.

Jacob Rees-Mogg Portrait Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)
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Although article 153(5) of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union may be esoteric to some, it is rather important because it prohibits the European Union from running an incomes policy. It seems to me that the bonus limit is an incomes policy; it is not a power of the European Union and therefore ought to be resisted by the Government by all possible means. Will the Chancellor take it to the European Court of Justice?

Greg Clark Portrait The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Greg Clark)
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I am delighted to answer my hon. Friend’s question. We are looking carefully at the provisions of the treaty and at every aspect of the proposals. We think that this country has a particularly rigorous set of arrangements, and we do not want to see them diluted.