Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Andrew Bridgen

Tuesday 22nd May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hammond]

The hon. Lady focuses rightly on output per hour. The problem is a productivity gap between the regions of the UK and the most prosperous areas of London. We have to close that productivity gap. That is in the interest of not only those individual regions, but our overall national economy. We will do so by investing in public infrastructure and in skills, and by ensuring that the conditions are right for business investment, both domestic and foreign.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

T3. I have a constituent who, despite having ample equity in her home and never having been in arrears with her payments, is unable to extend her mortgage beyond the age of 75 because of Government rules. That means that she will have to sell the house that she loves. Will my hon. Friend look urgently at whether those rules are absolutely necessary?

Spring Statement

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Andrew Bridgen

Tuesday 13th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

It would be for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to have that meeting with the hon. Gentleman, but I am very happy to pass on his request.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

Has my right hon. Friend made any assessment of the Venezuelan economic model that is so favoured by the shadow Chancellor? I understand the Venezuelan Government have made huge progress on reducing income inequality. Unfortunately, as is always the case with socialism, they have done so by pushing 80% of the population into poverty.

[Mr Hammond]

Actually, while watching Russia Today, I saw a very interesting piece on the Venezuelan economy—apparently everything is going swimmingly.