Debate on a motion to take note with approval of the Government's assessment as set out in the Budget Report, combined with the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forms the basis of the UK's Convergence Programme, for the purposes of section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993. Agreed on division (281 to 228).

Debate on a motion to take note with approval of the Government's assessment as set out in the Budget Report, combined with the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forms the basis of the UK's Convergence Programme, for the purposes of section 5 of the European Communities...

It has been demonstrated time and again in a host of different economies that supply-side reforms are vital, because they reduce some of the costs on businesses and enable them to invest and improve productivity, and in that way they stimulate demand and growth. Hon. Members are right to focus...

It has been demonstrated time and again in a host of different economies that supply-side reforms are vital, because they reduce some of the costs on businesses and enable them to invest and improve productivity, and in that way they stimulate demand and growth. Hon. Members are right to focus...

Perhaps my hon. Friend can help.

Perhaps my hon. Friend can help.

Indeed. I think we ought to debate many more of these things on the Floor of the House. I would like to think that many more colleagues, from all parties, would take part in these debates and appreciate some of the things that some of us, on both sides, have...

Indeed. I think we ought to debate many more of these things on the Floor of the House. I would like to think that many more colleagues, from all parties, would take part in these debates and appreciate some of the things that some of us, on both sides, have...

It would be inappropriate for the UK Government to dictate the economic policies to be followed by those in the eurozone. Members of the eurozone have made it very clear that they wish to remain part of it, and there are even member states queuing up to join it. Indeed,...

It would be inappropriate for the UK Government to dictate the economic policies to be followed by those in the eurozone. Members of the eurozone have made it very clear that they wish to remain part of it, and there are even member states queuing up to join it. Indeed,...

Oh, go on.

Oh, go on.

I beg to move,"That this House approves, for the purposes of section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993, the Government's assessment as set out in the Budget Report, combined with the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forms the basis of the UK's Convergence Programme."...

I beg to move,"That this House approves, for the purposes of section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993, the Government's assessment as set out in the Budget Report, combined with the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forms the basis of the UK's Convergence Programme."...

Indeed, I was here this time last year making a very similar, uncannily parallel speech, but I will point it out again. Underneath where it talks about Crown copyright, the ISBN number and where it says:"““Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre””," it reads:"““The Budget report, combined with the Office...

Indeed, I was here this time last year making a very similar, uncannily parallel speech, but I will point it out again. Underneath where it talks about Crown copyright, the ISBN number and where it says:"““Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre””," it reads:"““The Budget report, combined with the Office...

We will oppose the Government tonight, but we will do so not because we disagree with the European Union having a look at our Budget—these multilateral surveillance procedures have been going on for the best part of 20 years—but because we disagree with the measures in the Budget.

We will oppose the Government tonight, but we will do so not because we disagree with the European Union having a look at our Budget—these multilateral surveillance procedures have been going on for the best part of 20 years—but because we disagree with the measures in the Budget.

People will have their different reasons for opposing the motion, and my hon. Friend is right to state his reason for opposing it. My reason for opposing it is that, essentially, it asks the House to approve the Government's assessment of the economy. That is the nub of the question....

People will have their different reasons for opposing the motion, and my hon. Friend is right to state his reason for opposing it. My reason for opposing it is that, essentially, it asks the House to approve the Government's assessment of the economy. That is the nub of the question....

I note that the shadow Minister is making a principled argument and that he disagrees with the figures. If he did agree with the Budget figures, would he still feel that we had to submit them for scrutiny? We are a sovereign country. Do we really need our homework to...

I note that the shadow Minister is making a principled argument and that he disagrees with the figures. If he did agree with the Budget figures, would he still feel that we had to submit them for scrutiny? We are a sovereign country. Do we really need our homework to...

This is last year's speech.

This is last year's speech.

We have a blinkered and, in many ways, deluded approach to austerity—or über-austerity, as some might characterise it—which is hurting not only in the eurozone but here as well. What angers many people is that the Government's approach to helping the eurozone out of its difficulties is to throw money...

We have a blinkered and, in many ways, deluded approach to austerity—or über-austerity, as some might characterise it—which is hurting not only in the eurozone but here as well. What angers many people is that the Government's approach to helping the eurozone out of its difficulties is to throw money...

That is an interesting question. Obviously, I believe in the rule of law, and there is a legal obligation on Her Majesty's Government to abide by the treaties. This is where we come back to the question that my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall asked earlier. She asked the...

That is an interesting question. Obviously, I believe in the rule of law, and there is a legal obligation on Her Majesty's Government to abide by the treaties. This is where we come back to the question that my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall asked earlier. She asked the...

Is there not a third reason: that we are in the wrong part of the world, next to the eurozone, which has no mechanism for the poorer countries to get rid of their trade imbalances or for Germany to get rid of its trade surplus? Normally that would be done...

Is there not a third reason: that we are in the wrong part of the world, next to the eurozone, which has no mechanism for the poorer countries to get rid of their trade imbalances or for Germany to get rid of its trade surplus? Normally that would be done...

I apologise for not being here for the whole of the debate, but I was in the Finance Public Bill Committee. Does my honourable friend in European matters not agree that the Government have behaved much, much better this year, by allowing the debate in Parliament to take place before...

I apologise for not being here for the whole of the debate, but I was in the Finance Public Bill Committee. Does my honourable friend in European matters not agree that the Government have behaved much, much better this year, by allowing the debate in Parliament to take place before...

I hope we do too. As for the repercussions, will we be taken to the European Court of Justice? I suppose that is what happens; however, I think the European Union has other things on its mind rather than punishing us for not sending the Red Book across to Brussels....

I hope we do too. As for the repercussions, will we be taken to the European Court of Justice? I suppose that is what happens; however, I think the European Union has other things on its mind rather than punishing us for not sending the Red Book across to Brussels....

I wonder whether my hon. Friend could give me an answer to the question I asked the Minister, to which he did not give me an answer. What are the repercussions for our country if we vote this motion down this evening, as I hope we will?

I wonder whether my hon. Friend could give me an answer to the question I asked the Minister, to which he did not give me an answer. What are the repercussions for our country if we vote this motion down this evening, as I hope we will?

That is a problem for Ministers and local authorities, but it has been estimated that we need another 4.5 million homes over the next few years if we are going to house our people. However, I will not go into that now, because I want to talk about the European...

That is a problem for Ministers and local authorities, but it has been estimated that we need another 4.5 million homes over the next few years if we are going to house our people. However, I will not go into that now, because I want to talk about the European...

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman could say where all those homes would be built. I believe the last Government had a target of some 1.8 million, but I recall that something like half were on a floodplain. Where are we going to build all those homes?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman could say where all those homes would be built. I believe the last Government had a target of some 1.8 million, but I recall that something like half were on a floodplain. Where are we going to build all those homes?