To ask Her Majesty’s Government , further to the remarks by Lord Sassoon on 26 July (HL Deb, cols 1215–16), whether Sir Alan Budd will be free to renew his employment with the hedge fund manager Brevan Howard immediately following his return from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government , further to the remarks by Lord Sassoon on 26 July (HL Deb, cols 1215–16), whether Sir Alan Budd will be free to renew his employment with the hedge fund manager Brevan Howard immediately following his return from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HM Treasury informed Mr Geoffrey Dicks and Mr Graham Parker when they were appointed to the Budget Responsibility Committee on 8 June that Sir Alan Budd only intended to chair that committee for three months.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HM Treasury informed Mr Geoffrey Dicks and Mr Graham Parker when they were appointed to the Budget Responsibility Committee on 8 June that Sir Alan Budd only intended to chair that committee for three months.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government , further to the answer by Lord Sassoon on 6 July (Official Report, col. 94) saying that Sir Alan Budd had always planned to leave the Office for Budget Responsibility in the summer, why the interim nature of his role was not announced at the...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government , further to the answer by Lord Sassoon on 6 July (Official Report, col. 94) saying that Sir Alan Budd had always planned to leave the Office for Budget Responsibility in the summer, why the interim nature of his role was not announced at the...

Finance Bill. Second reading debate. Agreed on division (332 to 230). Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House. Agreed on question.

Finance Bill. Second reading debate. Agreed on division (332 to 230). Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House. Agreed on question.

I am grateful for that intervention. I am sure that my hon. Friend will have the chance to raise that point either in Committee or on the Floor of the House when the Bill is considered.

I am grateful for that intervention. I am sure that my hon. Friend will have the chance to raise that point either in Committee or on the Floor of the House when the Bill is considered.

The right hon. Gentleman mentioned fairness and businesses, and I would like to draw his attention to rural areas. He will understand that the increase in VAT will affect fuel prices in rural areas. Would it not be right to have a rural fuel derogation pilot in place before the...

The right hon. Gentleman mentioned fairness and businesses, and I would like to draw his attention to rural areas. He will understand that the increase in VAT will affect fuel prices in rural areas. Would it not be right to have a rural fuel derogation pilot in place before the...

I will make some progress and give way to the hon. Gentleman later. The Bill shows how the Government will carry out Britain's unavoidable deficit reduction plan in a way that strengthens and unites the country. The Budget and the Bill stand for three things. The first is responsibility—taking action...

I will make some progress and give way to the hon. Gentleman later. The Bill shows how the Government will carry out Britain's unavoidable deficit reduction plan in a way that strengthens and unites the country. The Budget and the Bill stand for three things. The first is responsibility—taking action...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

The hon. Gentleman is clearly not as much of an apprentice in this House as he claims to be. The gap between rich and poor got wider during the previous Government's term. The measures in the Budget have already had an impact on the credibility of and confidence in the...

The hon. Gentleman is clearly not as much of an apprentice in this House as he claims to be. The gap between rich and poor got wider during the previous Government's term. The measures in the Budget have already had an impact on the credibility of and confidence in the...

I am very grateful for that intervention. The hon. Gentleman knows that we are investigating a rural fuel derogation of some sort—that was repeated in the Budget statement. Although I cannot make a commitment on timing, as he knows, I am personally very enthusiastic about such a measure and I...

I am very grateful for that intervention. The hon. Gentleman knows that we are investigating a rural fuel derogation of some sort—that was repeated in the Budget statement. Although I cannot make a commitment on timing, as he knows, I am personally very enthusiastic about such a measure and I...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I give way to the right hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), who tried to intervene first.

I give way to the right hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), who tried to intervene first.

There were a lot of questions there but not a single apology for the record of the previous Government. The single measure announced by the previous Government that is included in the charts in the Budget Book is the national insurance change. We have chosen to introduce that measure, so...

There were a lot of questions there but not a single apology for the record of the previous Government. The single measure announced by the previous Government that is included in the charts in the Budget Book is the national insurance change. We have chosen to introduce that measure, so...

I am rushing to get to the ballot box—[Interruption.] The right hon. Gentleman is welcome to come to the ballot box too, if he so wishes. He will know that not only does chart A2 include the Labour measures from the March Budget, but it does not go beyond 2012-13...

I am rushing to get to the ballot box—[Interruption.] The right hon. Gentleman is welcome to come to the ballot box too, if he so wishes. He will know that not only does chart A2 include the Labour measures from the March Budget, but it does not go beyond 2012-13...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. It is a bit rich coming from the Opposition, given that we have set out for the first time in any Budget its distributional impact.

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. It is a bit rich coming from the Opposition, given that we have set out for the first time in any Budget its distributional impact.

Does not the Minister, like me, find it a bit rich that Opposition Members look only at part of the Budget, not the whole, after 13 years in which they did not once introduce a distributional table?

Does not the Minister, like me, find it a bit rich that Opposition Members look only at part of the Budget, not the whole, after 13 years in which they did not once introduce a distributional table?

I wish to respond fully to the intervention. I will come to the right hon. Gentleman in a little while. We have taken a number of measures in the Budget, such as the earnings link with pensions, with a triple lock of earnings, prices or 2.5%, which the previous Government...

I wish to respond fully to the intervention. I will come to the right hon. Gentleman in a little while. We have taken a number of measures in the Budget, such as the earnings link with pensions, with a triple lock of earnings, prices or 2.5%, which the previous Government...

Will the Chief Secretary give way?

Will the Chief Secretary give way?