Labour Statistics

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 15 November 2005.

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Photo of Alistair Darling Alistair Darling The Secretary of State for Scotland, The Secretary of State for Transport 2:30, 15 November 2005

On full employment, I have just told my hon. Friend Mr. Devine that measures such as the new deal, which the Liberals opposed—to be fair, they were in favour of the concept, but against its funding—mean that hundreds of thousands of people are now in work and doing well in employment. That would never have happened but for the Government's policies.

The North sea oil sector is doing well at the moment. Over the past 20 to 30 years, there have been many changes in the regime governing taxation, but I am confident that the Government will do everything that they can to make sure that the North sea oil industry continues to develop and expand, as that is extremely important, particularly for the economy of north-east Scotland.