Clause 24
Finance Bill
5:15 pm
Mark Hoban (Shadow Minister, Treasury; Fareham, Conservative)
If the Financial Secretary looks back at the Budget speech, he will see a clear implicit message that the provisions would lead to additional investment of £50 billion. The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that I misquoted the number; it is £50 billion, which includes £10 billion of communications expenditure. The expenditure would have taken place and was already planned. There might be a slight increase at the margin, but it is simply already planned benefiting expenditure. The measure will not generate additional investment to bring us out of the downturn quicker.