Oral Answers to Questions

Vince Cable Excerpts
Tuesday 20th March 2018

(6 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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I am most grateful for those thanks, and I am looking forward to many more doctors coming from Chelmsford.

Vince Cable Portrait Sir Vince Cable (Twickenham) (LD)
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The Secretary of State will be aware that one of the factors stifling innovation is the difficulty of rapid-growth companies in crossing the so-called valley of death. Since the establishment in the coalition Government years of the business growth fund, the biosciences fund and the British Business Bank, how far is the sector from crossing the valley of death?

Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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I hope that we are crossing the valley into eternal life because we have a fantastic life sciences industry that is worth £61 billion and employs 250,000 people. The right hon. Gentleman is right—he was involved in this when he was Business Secretary—that part of that is about having close links with the key people who make decisions about where to invest their resources.