Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Betty Williams (Labour). It was answered on Wednesday, 6 January 2010 on behalf of the Wales Office.

Car Scrappage

Question: I thank my right hon. Friend for his response, particularly as it confirms my own view. Does he agree that the car scrappage scheme has been of greater value to the British and, indeed, Welsh economies than would have been the Opposition's proposals to cut inheritance tax for their wealthy supporters?

Answer: I could not have put it better myself; my hon. Friend has got it in one. Rather than wasting public sector money on the richest people in Britain, very few of them in Wales, with inheritance tax giveaways, our putting money into the car scrappage scheme has increased production by a fifth at Ford Bridgend and resulted in a fifth of all new car registrations throughout the UK. That is active government—government supporting people, not favouring a tiny, rich few.

Secondary information