Economy: Growth

Lord Roberts of Conwy Excerpts

Wednesday 15th February 2012 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Roberts of Conwy]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to maintain and promote economic growth across the United Kingdom as a whole.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Baroness Wilcox)]

The Plan for Growth, published alongside the Budget in 2011, set out the Government’s plan to put the United Kingdom on a path to sustainable long-term economic growth. We are creating the right conditions to enable growth, driven by investment and exports and more evenly balanced across the United Kingdom and sectors.

[Lord Roberts of Conwy]

My Lords, I am grateful for that very helpful reply. Are the Government fully aware of the growing economic disparities between the regions of the United Kingdom, accentuated by devolution in the national regions, and do the Government agree that, if we are to maintain the constitutional unity of the United Kingdom, we must present a united front in the regions on investment and economic development, otherwise we shall be in grave danger of drifting apart?

[Baroness Wilcox]

Yes, I agree with my noble friend. That is certainly not something that we want. The Government’s primary objective is balanced growth across the United Kingdom. It is worth remembering that the United Kingdom is still one of the biggest economies in the world and that our combined strength has helped us to weather the recent economic turmoil.