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Ways and Means

It is a pleasure to see the Economic Secretary in his place today. I am grateful for his breaking off early from the celebratory lunch that I know will be taking place in No. 11 Downing street today, but given the scant number of contributors we may expect this afternoon there will be ample opportunity for him to return to the Treasury before midnight and I expect that the party will still be in full swing. I also thank the Economic Secretary for being so fluent and authoritative in his remarks. I wish, however, to pick him up on just one error. He seems to labour under the misapprehension that Opposition Front Benchers in some way oppose house building and development. I have no wish to detain him from the celebrations that he will attend later, but I refer him to the variety of speeches that I, my hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) have made, in the House and elsewhere, identifying the need for more housing development in our country and making the case that without additional house building we will not have the supply to meet the demand that exists. Without that additional house building, we will not be able to help first-time buyers on to the property ladder as they deserve. I am always happy to reach a consensus with the Economic Secretary and with his hon. Friend, the Minister for Housing and Planning. Every opportunity to reach a consensus on the need for more house building is one that I am delighted to take.