My hon. Friend has eloquently linked poverty and life expectancy. Does he agree that when we look at statistics such as the 64,000 people who die prematurely as a result of air pollution, that is focused on poorer people who live near busy roads? When we look at people who...

My hon. Friend has eloquently linked poverty and life expectancy. Does he agree that when we look at statistics such as the 64,000 people who die prematurely as a result of air pollution, that is focused on poorer people who live near busy roads? When we look at people who...

The thesis of a strong NHS is based on a strong economy, yet will he accept that under this Government since 2010 overall debt has gone from 45% of GDP to nearly 90% of GDP? It is not about tax; it is just borrowed money from a failing economy.

The thesis of a strong NHS is based on a strong economy, yet will he accept that under this Government since 2010 overall debt has gone from 45% of GDP to nearly 90% of GDP? It is not about tax; it is just borrowed money from a failing economy.

rose—

rose—

I know the Secretary of State accepts that the environment Bill is the vehicle to deliver cleaner air, but is he aware that, as it stands, it does not include indoor air quality? Given that we spend 90% of our time inside and that the medical research now shows a...

I know the Secretary of State accepts that the environment Bill is the vehicle to deliver cleaner air, but is he aware that, as it stands, it does not include indoor air quality? Given that we spend 90% of our time inside and that the medical research now shows a...

Air pollution—the silent, invisible killer—is now leading to 64,000 premature deaths in Britain each year. The figure was thought to be 40,000 by the Royal College of Physicians, but it has now been updated by the European Heart Journal. Pollution is now the biggest killer in the world—bigger even than...

Air pollution—the silent, invisible killer—is now leading to 64,000 premature deaths in Britain each year. The figure was thought to be 40,000 by the Royal College of Physicians, but it has now been updated by the European Heart Journal. Pollution is now the biggest killer in the world—bigger even than...

I really am speaking too fast, aren't I?

I really am speaking too fast, aren't I?

The amendment is essentially about making growth a centrepiece of the Office for Budget Responsibility—for very obvious reasons. The OBR's remit, as set out in clause 4, is to"““report on the sustainability of the public finances””." That sustainability consists of tax, expenditure and growth. We are not saying that the...

The amendment is essentially about making growth a centrepiece of the Office for Budget Responsibility—for very obvious reasons. The OBR's remit, as set out in clause 4, is to"““report on the sustainability of the public finances””." That sustainability consists of tax, expenditure and growth. We are not saying that the...

I am glad that the hon. Gentleman is wearing a badge saying that he has a GCSE in economics, but I doubt it. On a serious point, I have already accepted that prior to the financial crisis there was a marginal deficit to be confronted, and it was going to...

I am glad that the hon. Gentleman is wearing a badge saying that he has a GCSE in economics, but I doubt it. On a serious point, I have already accepted that prior to the financial crisis there was a marginal deficit to be confronted, and it was going to...

I will give way to the man with the badge.

I will give way to the man with the badge.

The Bill states:"““It is the duty of the Office to examine and report on the sustainability of the public finances.””" The sustainability of public finances involves three factors: tax, spend and growth. In tomorrow's Budget, the Chancellor is expected to say, ““This is a Budget for growth with very little...

The Bill states:"““It is the duty of the Office to examine and report on the sustainability of the public finances.””" The sustainability of public finances involves three factors: tax, spend and growth. In tomorrow's Budget, the Chancellor is expected to say, ““This is a Budget for growth with very little...

Having complete discretion is useful, but the word discretion means that something remains a matter of discretion—these things do not have to be done. The OBR has the discretion to go around looking at whatever it likes, but the amendment is saying something different—that the centrepiece of our economic future...

Having complete discretion is useful, but the word discretion means that something remains a matter of discretion—these things do not have to be done. The OBR has the discretion to go around looking at whatever it likes, but the amendment is saying something different—that the centrepiece of our economic future...

I am grateful for your advice, Mr Deputy Speaker, and for the Minister's intervention. In a way, her intervention makes the case for having growth at the centre of the OBR. I am sure that when she reads her words, which I appreciate were spoken with some emotion and anger,...

I am grateful for your advice, Mr Deputy Speaker, and for the Minister's intervention. In a way, her intervention makes the case for having growth at the centre of the OBR. I am sure that when she reads her words, which I appreciate were spoken with some emotion and anger,...

No, in Welsh. I was in Dusseldorf, talking on behalf of the Welsh Affairs Committee. This is relevant, Mr Deputy Speaker. UKTI had been marketing Britain, and various German companies had been saying, for example, ““We want to invest in a food and drinks factory. We want these skills and...

No, in Welsh. I was in Dusseldorf, talking on behalf of the Welsh Affairs Committee. This is relevant, Mr Deputy Speaker. UKTI had been marketing Britain, and various German companies had been saying, for example, ““We want to invest in a food and drinks factory. We want these skills and...

The point I was making before I was distracted was why there should be growth in the OBR. What were the previous Government's plans to get the deficit down? That is what the hon. Lady asked. It is important to recognise that the plans that we had were largely growth...

The point I was making before I was distracted was why there should be growth in the OBR. What were the previous Government's plans to get the deficit down? That is what the hon. Lady asked. It is important to recognise that the plans that we had were largely growth...

I will try and speak more slowly. My point was that the international financial crisis affected all countries' debt, not least that of Greece. Obviously, it has its own banking system, underneath the European Central Bank. There was a common cause for many of the deficit problems around the globe....

I will try and speak more slowly. My point was that the international financial crisis affected all countries' debt, not least that of Greece. Obviously, it has its own banking system, underneath the European Central Bank. There was a common cause for many of the deficit problems around the globe....

In conversation with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, I asked various questions about growth and its calculations and it was pointed out to me that the IFS was in essence made up of micro-economists who were aggregating up to deliver predictions about Government fiscal outputs. I respect what the hon....

In conversation with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, I asked various questions about growth and its calculations and it was pointed out to me that the IFS was in essence made up of micro-economists who were aggregating up to deliver predictions about Government fiscal outputs. I respect what the hon....

I am grateful for your guidance, Mr Deputy Speaker, because I would not want to be tempted in the least. I will resist temptation. The focus of the amendment is very much on the important area of growth. As I have mentioned, the important opportunity is to refocus our entrepreneurial...

I am grateful for your guidance, Mr Deputy Speaker, because I would not want to be tempted in the least. I will resist temptation. The focus of the amendment is very much on the important area of growth. As I have mentioned, the important opportunity is to refocus our entrepreneurial...

There was never any suggestion that the OBR could miraculously conjure up the optimum strategy, which has not even been launched by the Opposition, to solve the deficit problem more effectively. The Government are struggling with a one-string bow. They said, ““We'll get the deficit down by sacking everyone quickly,””...

There was never any suggestion that the OBR could miraculously conjure up the optimum strategy, which has not even been launched by the Opposition, to solve the deficit problem more effectively. The Government are struggling with a one-string bow. They said, ““We'll get the deficit down by sacking everyone quickly,””...

The hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones) mentioned his children. Surely the important point about growth and the amendment is that if we invest in his children, in their education and in the opportunity to go cost-effectively to university, to add value and to promote future growth, that is the...

The hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones) mentioned his children. Surely the important point about growth and the amendment is that if we invest in his children, in their education and in the opportunity to go cost-effectively to university, to add value and to promote future growth, that is the...

Having said that, will the hon. Lady accept that some of the OBR's responsibility should be to forecast what it regards as the impact of policy changes from the Chancellor? For example, if he was to announce suddenly that he will let the private sector deliver public services so that...

Having said that, will the hon. Lady accept that some of the OBR's responsibility should be to forecast what it regards as the impact of policy changes from the Chancellor? For example, if he was to announce suddenly that he will let the private sector deliver public services so that...