Office for Budget Responsibility (Manifesto Audits)

Debate between Jesse Norman and Baroness Primarolo

Wednesday 25th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Jesse Norman]

Might it be worth my hon. Friend sharing my view and correcting the record? The OBR was set up by transferring existing civil servants from the Treasury into a new entity. It is therefore not right to say that it was set up quickly and could therefore be expanded quickly. It already had those civil servants, which was why it was allowed to succeed and start so quickly. Growing it is an entirely separate matter.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. Before the hon. Member for Poole (Mr Syms) replies, I point out that Government interventions are having the consequence of talking out any Members who are still waiting to speak, and there are quite a number. We will start the wind-ups at 6.40 pm.

BBC (Proposed Cuts)

Debate between Jesse Norman and Baroness Primarolo

Thursday 1st December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire) (Con)]

Until the hon. Gentleman began to personalise this and mention individuals, I was prepared to share some of his concerns about the Murdoch speech and some of the claims that were made. Two things should be perfectly clear. First, many Government Members feel very warmly towards the BBC, and want to enfranchise and support the tradition of public service broadcasting, which it does better than anyone else in the world. That comes not just from Back-Bench Members but, I am thrilled to say, from the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister.

The second thing is—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. This is an intervention, not a speech. [Interruption.] Yes, but interventions must be brief, and we are coming to the end—[Interruption.] Will the hon. Gentleman take his seat? This debate is due to end at approximately 3.15 pm, and there is a time limit for speeches of 10 minutes for Members who have been in the Chamber all afternoon. Throughout, I have implored all Members to make their interventions brief. I am not negotiating with the hon. Gentleman: I am telling him that he should make his intervention brief, and not make several points.

[Jesse Norman]

Thank you very much indeed, Madam Deputy Speaker, I appreciate that.

Does the hon. Gentleman not agree that his position would be much stronger if he focused on the benefits—the lowering of salaries, much greater flexibility and competition in the market—as well as the negatives as he sees them?