All 2 Debates between Vince Cable and Lyn Brown

Tue 1st Apr 2014
Royal Mail
Commons Chamber
(Urgent Question)

Royal Mail

Debate between Vince Cable and Lyn Brown
Tuesday 1st April 2014

(10 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text

Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
- Hansard - -

The right hon. Gentleman’s initial remarks are apposite. Successive Governments have tried to privatise the Royal Mail for a long period. I would understand it if the Opposition had taken a principled stand on public ownership, but they have not. Indeed, I inherited a failed privatisation from the Labour Government and we made a success of it.

Lyn Brown Portrait Lyn Brown (West Ham) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

We now know that the Royal Mail trebled its profits while in public ownership. Does that not undermine the Government’s case for flogging it off in the first place?

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
- Hansard - -

It does not at all. The fact that the Royal Mail was improving its commercial performance is very good news, but it was over one year and it had to be sustained. The only way in which its profitability could be maintained was through large-scale investment, and the only way in which it could entertain making large-scale investment was by using capital markets under private ownership.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Vince Cable and Lyn Brown
Thursday 23rd January 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
- Hansard - -

The real value of the minimum wage started to fall under my predecessors in the wake of the financial crisis, and on each occasion, I, like my Labour predecessor, have followed the advice of the Low Pay Commission. The levels that have been set reflect that independent advice.

Lyn Brown Portrait Lyn Brown (West Ham) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

13. What recent estimate he has made of the number of female entrepreneurs.