Business of the House

Roger Mullin Excerpts
Thursday 24th November 2016

(7 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I cannot take part, as the hon. Gentleman rightly observes from a sedentary position, but if the hon. Member for Stirling wants an Adjournment debate on the matter, I have a hunch that he might secure it.

Roger Mullin Portrait Roger Mullin (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
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Flawed neoclassical theoretical assumptions combined with methodological problems are enshrined within the model of the UK economy that is used by both the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility. I would call into question how independent that makes the OBR. When can we have a debate on this important matter?

David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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It is up to the OBR to decide how it makes its own forecasts and the assumptions on which it makes them. It does, of course, publish with its reports a statement of the various assumptions that it makes. If the hon. Gentleman is not happy with the OBR, there is a plethora of other independent forecasts using methodologies that differ to a greater or lesser extent. I think this is a question of “Let 100 flowers bloom.”