Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

William Bain Excerpts
Tuesday 14th May 2013

(11 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
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I understand that the Co-op has lent more than £3 million to the Labour party. I would assess that as not being a particularly good credit risk; the Labour party has a toxic credit rating, and the experience has been that when it starts to borrow, it never pays the money back.

William Bain Portrait Mr William Bain (Glasgow North East) (Lab)
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The youth employment rate is lower now than in 2009, with a shortfall of nearly 400,000 jobs, so why are the Government continuing to resist a tax on bank bonuses that would help put young people back into work?

Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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As I said in answer to earlier questions, the Government have taken forward a package of measures. The Youth Contract, which is helping half a million young people, the massive expansion and improvement in the quality of apprenticeships, helping young people all around the country, and the Work programme make up a proper package of measures to do what the hon. Gentleman and I agree about—try to help more young people off benefits and into work. The problem has been building up for many years, and he should be a bit more humble about it.