Devolved Administrations: Industrial Strategy

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara Excerpts

Wednesday 17th October 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, first, I thank my noble friend for his very generous and kind remarks. He is a great champion of Wales. I am delighted by the news this morning that employment has grown to its highest levels since records began in 1971. Indeed, in Wales, there has been an increase in total employment since April 2010 of 67,000.

The Government’s objective is to make the UK the best place to start, run and expand a business. The success of the private sector in all parts of the UK is key to the recovery, and 900,000 private sector jobs have been created in the past two years. I reassure my noble friend that we are working closely with the devolved Administrations. Regardless of political colour, the national interest comes first.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara]

I, too, welcome the noble Lord to the Dispatch Box and commiserate that it is not he but the noble Lord, Lord Marland, who is topping up his tan. I listened carefully to his reply to the noble Lord, Lord Roberts, but note that he has failed to explain exactly the detail of the industrial strategy of which he speaks. Without knowing that, it is hard to understand how he can make the judgment that it is fully supported by the three devolved Governments. Will he take this opportunity to confirm that he agrees with the Secretary of State of his department, who said recently:

“The Government lacks the compelling vision … to get the economy growing again”?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

I thank the noble Lord for his initial remarks, but I have to say that the Government’s plan for growth is very clear and outlines 250 measures to deliver the four growth ambitions: the creation of the most competitive tax system in the G20, at the lowest level in the G7; as I said before, to make the UK the best place to start a business; to encourage investment and exports; and to create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe.