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AMENDMENT OF THE LAW

I thank the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) for stopping short so that I have the opportunity to make a few remarks at the end of this debate. Along with many other Members, I welcome the fact that for most of the past 10 years the Chancellor has overseen a strong economy. That has benefited people in Northern Ireland, where we have a much lower unemployment rate, where there is considerable private investment, and where there has been a change in the economy from the days of 15 to 20 years ago when we were at the height of the terrorist troubles. However, those years of prosperity have, to a certain extent, been wasted, and the figures in the Red Book provide some evidence of that. If there is ever to be any chance of reducing the burden of taxation and keeping public finances under control, it should be during a period of growth. We will certainly not be able to do it during a period of economic stagnation or decline. Yet according to the figures in the Red Book, the burden of taxation in the economy has increased. The net public sector borrowing requirement has increased. As the hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Field) mentioned, that is bound to make us look back from future years and say that the best of times did not result in the best use of resources.