Direction of Government

Lord Harper Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Harper (Con)]

My Lords, on this point about good growth, does it remain the Government’s policy that any company that is operating lawfully and fulfilling its legal responsibilities should be encouraged to grow its revenue and profits, hire people and pay its taxes, or is it the implication of the Prime Minister’s statement about “good growth” that there are companies which we would rather not do those things?

[Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab)]

I expected a better question from the noble Lord, if I am honest. The whole purpose of growth is that it benefits the country, the company and the employees of that company. When those conditions are fulfilled, of course that is good growth. The noble Lord will see from measures coming forward how much we want to support business. Some of the things he can look at—this ties in with the welfare reform argument—are getting young people into work and working with companies and businesses to support them to take on those young people. So yes, we want good growth across the country.