Results 1-20 of 407 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:George Mudie

Tax Avoidance and Evasion (6 May 2009)

George Mudie: It is with some humility that I take part in the debate surrounded by accountants and international aid experts. I was considering whether to contribute to the debate, but I came to support my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor). He has done us all a service by obtaining the debate; he has also done a great service, to which other hon. Members have added, in...

Tax Avoidance and Evasion (6 May 2009)

George Mudie: I have some agreement with that; but there is a larger question concerning Governments and financial authorities. Why have those not been willing to intervene? The picture, certainly in the UK, has been that the City has earned so much money and had such a large part in the economy that I do not think any Governments have been willing to stand up against some of the practices that were...

Oral Answers to Questions — Children, Schools and Families: Prisons and Probation (27 Apr 2009) has video

George Mudie: I would have liked to ask the Secretary of State why he thinks locking up an additional 25,000 people—many if not most of them with drug and mental health problems—is a matter to boast about, but I will not, as I must ask him about probation cuts in Leeds and west Yorkshire. He said that this is simply a matter of moving resources to convictions. The Leeds MPs have been approached...

Opposition Day — [1st Allotted Day]: Savers (21 Jan 2009) has video

George Mudie: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, although I have been told that I must finish in five minutes. I do not support the motion because it is clearly political. There is a theme running through politics at the moment. It is the Conservatives saying—they do not say it modestly, as the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) does—that they said something first. They hear of...

Opposition Day — [1st Allotted Day]: Savers (21 Jan 2009) has video

George Mudie: I will not go down that road, because regulation is a major issue, and the argument will move on. Saving is a matter not for the Government, but for the banks. When I mentioned the 0.01 per cent. interest that most major banks are paying to savers, the hon. Member for Twickenham said that the banks are recapitalising. Making saving unattractive is a strange way to recapitalise. I made a point...

Opposition Day — [1st Allotted Day]: Savers (21 Jan 2009) has video

George Mudie: The hon. Gentleman mentions fear, but is there not another matter that I hope, in his pragmatic and common-sense way, he will raise, which is the interest rate paid by the banks, and the fact that while they would not pass on the rate cut for borrowers, they passed on the cut to savers? When Barclays now has a rate, not unusual and copied by many others, of 0.01 per cent.—in other...

Opposition Day — [1st Allotted Day]: Savers (21 Jan 2009) has video

George Mudie: If the argument is that we started in a bad position with no fiscal room, what is the hon. Gentleman suggesting in fiscal terms? Is he saying that we cannot do anything because of our starting point? If he is saying that, I would point out that the Opposition motion would cost £4.1 billion. Where would that come from?

Olympics: Financial Markets (19 Jan 2009) has video

George Mudie: When the Chancellor brought forward the £37 billion, it was supported in the House because it was seen not as a bank bail-out but as a way of helping the real economy. The bankers took the money and let the Chancellor down. He is now giving them more money. Can we be assured that we have guarantees this time that we did not have last time, and will he spell them out to the House? We need...

Bank Lending (11 Nov 2008)

George Mudie: It is a pleasure to participate in this debate and to do so under your chairmanship, Mr. Martlew. It is the first time that I have served under you, but I have heard highly of how fairly and sympathetically you chair Committees. Hopefully, I will need neither your fairness nor your sympathy. My objectives in the next quarter of an hour are, first, to demonstrate the culpability of the...

Bank Lending (11 Nov 2008)

George Mudie: I am glad to see that I have support in another part of Westminster Hall today. The fact that there was cheap money enabled money to be pumped into the system and inappropriate lending to take place. My favourite example from America is that of the old lady of 90 who was employed as a cleaner and given a $450,000 mortgage. After two years with that mortgage, she felt that it was time to...

Bank Lending (11 Nov 2008)

George Mudie: That suggestion was made during the debate on the economy yesterday, and I think that it has some merit. It is interesting that the Paulson rescue launch in the US was initially going to do that, but it did not get through Congress. The Americans have now moved across to the model proposed by our Prime Minister and Chancellor, which has gone round and been accepted. I am comforted by what the...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Economic Crisis (10 Nov 2008)

George Mudie: Partly.

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Economic Crisis (10 Nov 2008)

George Mudie: Does the hon. Gentleman not think that it is a bit harsh to say that we have a recession and that there is nothing that we can do about it? [ Interruption. ] Well, that is exactly what he said. There is plenty that we can do about it, but it is, of course, politically better to get off on abstract arguments. We could do things with mortgages to keep people in their homes, and we could do...

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Mortgage Lending (30 Oct 2008) has video

George Mudie: Lloyds TSB was bailed out with £5.5 billion of Government money. Since then, it has refused to pass on the recent interest rate cut and has increased the rate for its tracker mortgages. In the past couple of days, it has stopped existing customers moving from repayment mortgages to interest-only mortgages, which is a first step in easing people's mortgage payments. As we are one of the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions: European Council (20 Oct 2008) has video

George Mudie: The whole House should congratulate and thank the Prime Minister and the Chancellor for their sound judgment and political courage in giving the leadership that has stabilised the financial markets.

Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions: European Council (20 Oct 2008) has video

George Mudie: Yes, why not? Wisely, the package that rescued the bankers had a price, which was help to householders, those with mortgages and small businesses. Last week, the Select Committee on Treasury met representatives of the building societies and, sadly, they seemed to be very complacent about the trauma caused by repossessions and the growing number of them. They seemed to be unaware of the need...

Business of the House: TOPICAL DEBATE Financial Stability (9 Oct 2008) has video

George Mudie: As time is short, and there are many Members here, I shall move quickly through my speech. I shall not, however, take the advice of my Newcastle colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), who has just suggested that, if I wanted more time, I should make my speech in the next debate, when I would get 15 minutes. Of course, you would notice if I did...

Olympics: Financial Markets (6 Oct 2008) has video

George Mudie: I make a plea to the Chancellor that, when he speaks about protecting the taxpayer and depositors, he continues to include customers or borrowers. The whole House understands the importance of helping the banking and finance industry on the grounds of stability, but the sight of the same banks calling in loans to small businesses and making many thousands of good people homeless by making...

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Topical Questions (5 Jun 2008) has video

George Mudie: Following the Bank of England's indifferent performance on Northern Rock, may I strongly endorse the earlier suggestion that the Chancellor stay firm in support of appointing a more City and market-oriented individual to the deputy governor's post instead of the cosy but wrong alternative of an in-house promotion?

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Topical Questions (13 May 2008) has video

George Mudie: If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.