The Economy

Part of Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day] – in the House of Commons at 4:23 pm on 22 June 2011.

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Photo of Margot James Margot James Conservative, Stourbridge 4:23, 22 June 2011

I would like to make progress and bring my remarks to a conclusion.

Throughout the boom years, nearly 2 million people were living off benefits, at huge expense to the economy, while three quarters of the new jobs went to people from abroad. That was a scandal. It is ironic that the Opposition motion calls for the Government to spend all sorts of money that we do not have on 100,000 jobs for young people. I remind Labour Members that the unemployment figures for people between 16 and 24 started out at 650,000 in 1997 and ended up at 930,000 in 2010, at the end of their Government’s tenure. That is an unacceptable increase.