Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laura Sandys and Mark Hoban

Monday 1st July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. It is because we are committed to continuing to improve the whole process that we work with mental health charities. Since coming to office, I have had several meetings with charities to talk about what we can do, and this is why we are currently going through the process of assessing alternative descriptors, particularly for those with fluctuating conditions and mental health issues.

[Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con)]

9. What progress he has made on supporting disabled people back into work.

Eurozone Crisis

Debate between Laura Sandys and Mark Hoban

Thursday 3rd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

One of the best ways of putting more money in the pockets of families and giving business men more money to invest in their businesses is to keep interest rates low. Borrowing more, which is the Labour party’s prescription, would simply put our interest rates at risk, so that households would have less money in their budgets and businesses would be strapped for cash. We will take no lessons in how to handle our economy from a party that doubled the national debt.

[Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con)]

The IMF is a collective that is there to build greater economic stability. Why should our approach to funding economic stability in Mexico, the Philippines or Peru be different from our approach to funding it in Greece?

[Mr Hoban]

My hon. Friend has made an important point about the global role of the IMF. It is there to support economies that face challenging circumstances. There is a range of programmes in 53 states, and it is right for the IMF to have the resources that it needs if it is to help to stabilise the global economy.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laura Sandys and Mark Hoban

Tuesday 1st November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

The hon. Gentleman should recognise that the action that this Government have taken has earned the endorsement of the IMF and the OECD. That is why we have the low interest rates the economy needs. The Opposition talk about a plan B, but that would actually increase the budget deficit and the interest rates that this country would have to pay.

[Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con)]

15. What fiscal measures he is taking to encourage job creation in the private sector.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laura Sandys and Mark Hoban

Tuesday 21st June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

We must ensure that banks signal to businesses that they are open for business and that they have the capacity to lend to businesses. That is why we work with the banks to deliver Project Merlin, but, as I have said, there is more work for the banks to do to ensure they lend to small businesses, and we will continue to hold them to account on that.

[Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con)]

Did Project Merlin also cover transparency in respect of the covenants banks require small businesses to put forward, and has that increased over the last three or four years? I ask because this seems to be one of the big barriers to small businesses taking out loans.

[Mr Hoban]

My hon. Friend makes an important point about the relationship between banks and their customers and the transparency of that relationship. That is why the British Bankers Association business taskforce has introduced a range of measures to look at the relationship between banks and their customers and we will continue to monitor that work. It is important that banks are transparent with their customers about the terms on which loans are offered.