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Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation

In my speech, I should like to give overall support to the general thrust and direction of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's Budget. In extremely difficult circumstances, he has produced a package that I believe will stand the test of time. Budgets too often unravel in a matter of days. Before I continue, I must apologise to the House and the Minister for not being able to be here for the winding-up speeches, but I have constituency appointments that I must honour. This is the third day of the debate, and many of the points that are made will have been made many times over, so I should like in the main to look at the proposals from my constituency perspective.