The hon. Gentleman is talking about vision, so has he not heard of the Climate Change Bill, which is going through the House? How does that Bill square with the idea of the Labour Government not doing anything about climate change? I simply do not understand the hon. Gentleman's point,...

The hon. Gentleman is talking about vision, so has he not heard of the Climate Change Bill, which is going through the House? How does that Bill square with the idea of the Labour Government not doing anything about climate change? I simply do not understand the hon. Gentleman's point,...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

The hon. Gentleman has made his point. In the article to which I referred, the hon. Member for Tatton went on to say:"““We must not rush to rash judgment or premature solutions””," but that is exactly what the Opposition seek to put forward. The right hon. Member for Witney did...

The hon. Gentleman has made his point. In the article to which I referred, the hon. Member for Tatton went on to say:"““We must not rush to rash judgment or premature solutions””," but that is exactly what the Opposition seek to put forward. The right hon. Member for Witney did...

Of course it is uncomfortable, but a Lord Lamont-style rant, which talks down the situation for political gain and makes it appear worse, for political purposes, than it is, will not help. I exempt the hon. Gentleman from my opening remarks, because he has a genuine interest in the small...

Of course it is uncomfortable, but a Lord Lamont-style rant, which talks down the situation for political gain and makes it appear worse, for political purposes, than it is, will not help. I exempt the hon. Gentleman from my opening remarks, because he has a genuine interest in the small...

The hon. Gentleman's memory is short. During the 10 years that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was in post as Chancellor, there were a number of pauses in the global economy, to say the least: the dotcom collapse, the Asian collapse and American problems in the early 2000s....

The hon. Gentleman's memory is short. During the 10 years that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was in post as Chancellor, there were a number of pauses in the global economy, to say the least: the dotcom collapse, the Asian collapse and American problems in the early 2000s....

I would categorise the position of the official Opposition as follows: opportunistic, contradictory and wrong. So far, we have had crocodile tears from Conservative Members, although I do not necessarily include the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Binley) in that. I have to say to some of my own...

I would categorise the position of the official Opposition as follows: opportunistic, contradictory and wrong. So far, we have had crocodile tears from Conservative Members, although I do not necessarily include the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Binley) in that. I have to say to some of my own...

Unless I have completely missed something, was not the theme the credit crunch and the need for stability? The Budget was all about a steady-as-she-goes approach within that context. That surely was the theme, and it was successful.

Unless I have completely missed something, was not the theme the credit crunch and the need for stability? The Budget was all about a steady-as-she-goes approach within that context. That surely was the theme, and it was successful.

My hon. Friend is anticipating me by referring to the fact that that small provision exempts from taxation facilities provided by companies that offer eye tests for people who work with visual display units. That is an eminently sensible social measure. Finally, clause 172 deals with the climate change levy,...

My hon. Friend is anticipating me by referring to the fact that that small provision exempts from taxation facilities provided by companies that offer eye tests for people who work with visual display units. That is an eminently sensible social measure. Finally, clause 172 deals with the climate change levy,...

: I was going to make the same point, but does my hon. Friend agree that it goes further? What my right hon. Friend the Chancellor is trying to do, for the sake of fair taxation, is create certainty rather than the uncertainty that would allow tax lawyers and tax...

: I was going to make the same point, but does my hon. Friend agree that it goes further? What my right hon. Friend the Chancellor is trying to do, for the sake of fair taxation, is create certainty rather than the uncertainty that would allow tax lawyers and tax...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

The hon. Gentleman misquotes me. I did not say that I had made a speech that was too critical of the Government. I said just that I had made a speech that did not find favour with the usual channels.

The hon. Gentleman misquotes me. I did not say that I had made a speech that was too critical of the Government. I said just that I had made a speech that did not find favour with the usual channels.

Does my right hon. Friend regret, as I do, that all the hard work that the Select Committee put in and all the evidence that it heard were trashed yesterday in a Tory leak to The Times newspaper that misrepresented the evidence that the Committee had heard and what it...

Does my right hon. Friend regret, as I do, that all the hard work that the Select Committee put in and all the evidence that it heard were trashed yesterday in a Tory leak to The Times newspaper that misrepresented the evidence that the Committee had heard and what it...

The right hon. Gentleman is generous in giving way. The hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke), who is sitting behind him, raised the same issue in the Budget debate. However, he was good enough to accept that defining public sector productivity is difficult. If the right hon. Gentleman accepts...

The right hon. Gentleman is generous in giving way. The hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke), who is sitting behind him, raised the same issue in the Budget debate. However, he was good enough to accept that defining public sector productivity is difficult. If the right hon. Gentleman accepts...

I question the right hon. Gentleman’s encapsulation of productivity—but if he is right, why has growth occurred year after year since the Government came to office? Next year’s growth is earmarked to increase. Why is that happening against what he would have us believe is a background of declining productivity?

I question the right hon. Gentleman’s encapsulation of productivity—but if he is right, why has growth occurred year after year since the Government came to office? Next year’s growth is earmarked to increase. Why is that happening against what he would have us believe is a background of declining productivity?

My right hon. Friend the Paymaster General has heard my hon. Friend’s suggestion, so I am sure that she will take it into account. There is second, equally sharp divide between the Government and the Opposition. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer introduced the climate change levy...

My right hon. Friend the Paymaster General has heard my hon. Friend’s suggestion, so I am sure that she will take it into account. There is second, equally sharp divide between the Government and the Opposition. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer introduced the climate change levy...

I agree. My hon. Friend makes the point and the House has heard it: there is that unholy link between evasion and cost. There is a willingness to deal with a product that inflicts costs on society, but not a willingness to pay the associated dues. The Finance Bill is...

I agree. My hon. Friend makes the point and the House has heard it: there is that unholy link between evasion and cost. There is a willingness to deal with a product that inflicts costs on society, but not a willingness to pay the associated dues. The Finance Bill is...

If we are trading cheap remarks, I suppose that I could say to the hon. Gentleman that he has only just come into the Chamber and has not had the courtesy to take part in the debate. [Interruption.] Well, I must be blind then, because I have been sitting here....

If we are trading cheap remarks, I suppose that I could say to the hon. Gentleman that he has only just come into the Chamber and has not had the courtesy to take part in the debate. [Interruption.] Well, I must be blind then, because I have been sitting here....

Surely not. I look forward to my hon. Friend continuing. The hon. Member for Chipping Barnet did not tell us what she supported. She seemed to be using one of those throwaway phrases that seem convenient for the Opposition but are, in fact, very destructive. I urge the hon. Member...

Surely not. I look forward to my hon. Friend continuing. The hon. Member for Chipping Barnet did not tell us what she supported. She seemed to be using one of those throwaway phrases that seem convenient for the Opposition but are, in fact, very destructive. I urge the hon. Member...

I congratulate the hon. Lady on her industry. The effect of the two speeches was the same. The hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge said last year that the Opposition welcomed many measures in the Bill, but would still vote against it—and the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet used exactly...

I congratulate the hon. Lady on her industry. The effect of the two speeches was the same. The hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge said last year that the Opposition welcomed many measures in the Bill, but would still vote against it—and the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet used exactly...

That is excellent, but the hon. Lady might have written the other one, too.

That is excellent, but the hon. Lady might have written the other one, too.