Economic Growth

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 12 October 2010.

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Photo of Harriett Baldwin Harriett Baldwin Conservative, West Worcestershire 2:30, 12 October 2010

What assessment he has made of the effect on GDP of proposals to increase the level of economic growth in the June 2010 Budget.

Photo of Justine Greening Justine Greening The Economic Secretary to the Treasury

As we discussed earlier, the emergency Budget supported businesses in a variety of ways. We know that we have to rebalance our economy by getting an unwieldy public sector back into a sustainable, private sector-led economy that generates the tax revenues needed to fund our public services sustainably. We will never go back to the profligacy of the Labour party.

Photo of Harriett Baldwin Harriett Baldwin Conservative, West Worcestershire

Businesses in West Worcestershire welcome the cuts in corporation tax that were announced in the June 2010 Budget. Does the Minister agree that the most basic economics primer would say that, if they are possible, lower tax rates for business can lead to higher tax revenues from business?

Photo of Justine Greening Justine Greening The Economic Secretary to the Treasury

My hon. Friend is right, and I know that she had wide experience in business before entering the House. Opposition Front Benchers really ought to listen to the CBI, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses, the British Chambers of Commerce and a range of other representatives from across industry who welcome the measures that the Government have brought forward to support business. As long as the Opposition put their head in the sand they will remain what they are right now, which is incredible.