Results 1-20 of 1,157 for speaker:John Thurso

Business, Innovation and Skills: Small and Medium-sized Businesses (12 Nov 2009)

John Thurso: Access to, and the cost of, bank credit remains a critical issue for many small and medium-sized businesses. However, the financial crisis has equally shown the need for better access to equity finance. In that regard, does the Minister agree that to address the equity gap we need to put in place mechanisms, including local enterprise funds and even regional stock exchanges, such as the very...

Written Answers — Business, Innovation and Skills: Manufacturing Industries: Minerals (12 Nov 2009)

John Thurso: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the (a) contribution to the economy of the UK lime manufacturing industry and (b) the economic viability of that industry; and if he will make a statement.

Written Answers — Business, Innovation and Skills: Royal Mail (12 Nov 2009)

John Thurso: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on financial and legal advice in respect of the proposed sale of shareholdings in Royal Mail in the last two years.

Economic Recovery (22 Oct 2009) has video

John Thurso: Those of us who were working or in business during the recessions in the '70s, '80s and '90s will remember not only the immense damage that was done to our businesses and the time it took to recover and get back to growth, but the social evils that followed from the unemployment caused at those times. Therefore, to me, securing economic recovery is of the first importance, not simply so that...

Economic Recovery (22 Oct 2009) has video

John Thurso: As is often the case, my party is represented by quality rather than quantity, which I might say. To return to financial stability and banking, the recession is a direct result of a financial crisis. The Government were absolutely right to launch a rescue. That is not to say that they are not culpable for the reasons why we arrived in that position—that is not today's debate—but...

Economic Recovery (22 Oct 2009) has video

John Thurso: The hon. Gentleman, who is my colleague on the Treasury Committee, tempts me into a debate for which I do not have time. Suffice it to say that I believe it possible to construct institutions in this country that can compete very effectively internationally. I think Glass-Steagall is old language. "Narrow bank" is also difficult language, but such banks would have a separation of functions...

Economic Recovery (22 Oct 2009) has video

John Thurso: The hon. Gentleman makes the point that I am coming to in a moment. We will be living beyond our means, and cuts in public expenditure are inevitable. We need a grown-up debate to decide where they should fall. Increases in taxation will almost certainly also be necessary. The really important thing is to get the recovery going to improve the employment situation. We need employment that...

Nato: Royal Mail (20 Oct 2009)

John Thurso: I am grateful to the Minister for the courtesy of an advance copy of his statement. As the Minister made clear, Royal Mail is no longer the essential business tool that it once was. The combination of electronic communications, growth in parcel delivery services and competition for business mail means that Royal Mail has a future only if it becomes competitive in that new environment. The...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Economic Recovery and Welfare (19 Oct 2009)

John Thurso: I, too, welcome this debate, as these are extremely important issues. I particularly welcome the opportunity to discuss unemployment, which is the most pernicious effect of recession. It is right to discuss not only what should be done in a crisis—what emergency measures are required—but what could and should be done to deal with unemployment in the longer term and what can be...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Economic Recovery and Welfare (19 Oct 2009)

John Thurso: I do, and I am even on record as having urged the Government to do that, although it may have been in the Treasury Committee rather than in the Chamber. The Government were, to a degree, taken by surprise, and the resource at the Treasury was not sufficient to undertake a great deal of extra work, so some of those details were missed out. There is an argument—I will not go into it in...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Economic Recovery and Welfare (19 Oct 2009)

John Thurso: The hon. Gentleman tempts me into a debate on Glass-Steagall, but I will not go into that given the time available. Canada is an interesting example to study, not least because of the banking problems that it had already suffered and the regulatory changes that it had made. There are as many people in favour of narrow banking as there are those who take the opposite view. It is a valid...