---

Regional Economy (Tackling the Recession)

My hon. Friend could be right. In answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Tyne Bridge, I simply need to be reassured. A condition report has been made on the Lindisfarne gospels. My hon. Friends the Members for City of Durham and for Gateshead, East and Washington, West worked stoically on the issue, and, according to the British Library, the document would allow us to house and exhibit the Lindisfarne gospels perhaps one year in seven or 10. I found the report markedly offensive. If the gospels can travel one year in seven or one in 10, I suggest we should have them permanently, and the British Library should have the copy. The last time the gospels were in the region, there were queues around the block of 700 to 1,000 people waiting to view them. My last comment is this: no cuts. I say that absolutely. I have no problem with savings or with efficiencies or a slowdown in the introduction of a new product, even though that could well mean identity cards—but no cuts. I am focused on the fact that if we keep people employed, they pay tax, do not receive unemployment benefit and contribute to our community. Working families tax credit, child tax credit and supporting people grant, which I shall discuss later privately, provide money that we need in the community. We need the banks to be less risk-averse and we need Government support. Perhaps I am over-optimistic but I believe that there are green shoots, such as housing development and the new schools development in my patch. There is the new academy and the investment of more than £4 million in St. Patrick’s, with which we are delighted. The green shoots must continue, but that will not happen if we take the Conservative party line and cut public expenditure now.