I congratulate my hon. Friend on his prescience and look forward to reading the pamphlet that he produced at Nuffield college, Oxford, because it sounds very interesting. He mentioned thrift, but the issue is not just about efficiency. Does he agree that however much we develop models and look at...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his prescience and look forward to reading the pamphlet that he produced at Nuffield college, Oxford, because it sounds very interesting. He mentioned thrift, but the issue is not just about efficiency. Does he agree that however much we develop models and look at...

Given my earlier remarks about the true level of debt, would the hon. Gentleman be surprised to hear that aggregating the bank bail-outs—never mind the cost of the RBS-Lloyds deal that was never even disclosed—would put the actual liabilities in the region of £3.84 trillion? He has just given the...

Given my earlier remarks about the true level of debt, would the hon. Gentleman be surprised to hear that aggregating the bank bail-outs—never mind the cost of the RBS-Lloyds deal that was never even disclosed—would put the actual liabilities in the region of £3.84 trillion? He has just given the...

The right hon. Gentleman is talking a great deal of sense. Does he agree with my earlier point that the approach of addressing these issues without having regard to the duties that are imposed on local authorities by Parliament is part of the problem? We have to deal with the...

The right hon. Gentleman is talking a great deal of sense. Does he agree with my earlier point that the approach of addressing these issues without having regard to the duties that are imposed on local authorities by Parliament is part of the problem? We have to deal with the...

As the Chancellor knows, I have raised the question of the true state of the debt on many occasions. I have never had a straight answer, so I would be grateful if I could have one now. When one aggregates the amount, including public pensions, private finance initiatives, Network Rail...

As the Chancellor knows, I have raised the question of the true state of the debt on many occasions. I have never had a straight answer, so I would be grateful if I could have one now. When one aggregates the amount, including public pensions, private finance initiatives, Network Rail...

On the question of duties, does my hon. Friend agree that the point he is making could equally be applied to the Government Departments on which Parliament has imposed a series of duties that drive levels of public expenditure ever upwards? Does he not agree that, to get the whole...

On the question of duties, does my hon. Friend agree that the point he is making could equally be applied to the Government Departments on which Parliament has imposed a series of duties that drive levels of public expenditure ever upwards? Does he not agree that, to get the whole...

In view of the tremendous certainty that the Minister is describing, will she tell us now what net debt means under the Bill?

In view of the tremendous certainty that the Minister is describing, will she tell us now what net debt means under the Bill?

Does my hon. Friend recognise the problem that I have presented to my right hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) and my hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr. Newmark)? All three of us have argued for a long time that the Government's figures on net debt are...

Does my hon. Friend recognise the problem that I have presented to my right hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) and my hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr. Newmark)? All three of us have argued for a long time that the Government's figures on net debt are...

My right hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Does he agree that there is another factor apart from having to review legislation, which imposes the duties to which I have referred—that is, the need to emphasise the necessity for enterprise and small businesses from which one can generate the...

My right hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Does he agree that there is another factor apart from having to review legislation, which imposes the duties to which I have referred—that is, the need to emphasise the necessity for enterprise and small businesses from which one can generate the...