Autumn Statement

Tom Blenkinsop Excerpts

Wednesday 5th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Osborne]

I will get back to my hon. Friend about the specific point about the bid for new housing in Gloucester. More broadly, we are investing more capital in housing development. We are also standing alongside families trying to buy their first home with our Firstbuy shared equity scheme, and we are also providing guarantees to registered social landlords not only to build social housing, but to build housing for the private rented sector. So in all sorts of ways we are helping the people of Gloucester, and I will look specifically at what more we can do to help.

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

The corporation tax take, VAT take, income tax take and growth are all lower than the OBR predicted in March. The Chancellor is forecast to accrue an increase in national debt in five years greater than Labour accrued in 13 years. Moreover, from now till 2013 the International Labour Organisation unemployment rate increases by 0.2%, as is stated on page 86, table B.1, so how are more people predicted to get jobs when the OBR says completely the opposite?

[Mr Osborne]

I would advise the hon. Gentleman to look at that table on employment. It shows employment going up by 1 million.