Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Jenrick and Virendra Sharma

Tuesday 9th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)]

19. What recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of productivity since 2010.

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Robert Jenrick)]

Since 2010, UK labour productivity has grown by 3.9%, leaving it 1.9% above its pre-crisis peak. Slow productivity growth since the crisis is not a phenomenon exclusive to the UK, but is common across the G7. We have created the £37 billion national productivity investment fund to tackle it.

[Mr Sharma]

The UK’s productivity remains weaker than most other advanced economies. Does the Chancellor agree that the Government should lead the way in tackling the productivity crisis, starting with getting rid of the haphazard Transport Secretary?

[Robert Jenrick]

No. We are taking a range of interventions, including investing £600 billion in our national economic infrastructure. Over the course of this Parliament, investment in transport and other forms of infrastructure will be £460 million a week in real terms higher than under the previous Labour Government.