"We have been extremely active on that front, but scientific knowledge is moving on. I remember when diesel was positively subsidised by Governments because it was thought to be more environmentally friendly. In a more appropriate debate, those issues are well worth pursuing. I understand the problem. I turn to …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"I shall be in trouble with the Speaker and everyone else who wants to speak if I give way. Otherwise I would love to give way to the right hon. Gentleman...." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"I am trying to be reasonably concise rather than too expansive. I apologise to the right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz).
I tried to think of what I would have done had I been Chancellor in the present situation. Before the Budget was delivered, I expected a much …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"Will my hon. Friend accept that British Governments have always supported the idea of having an EU framework on VAT? Otherwise, the problem is that there is pressure on Governments to compete with each other in lowering the tax on selected products when they think that their manufacturers or producers …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"Does my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary agree that the first duty of a Chancellor and his Treasury team when preparing a Budget is to have regard to the medium-term national interest and to provide sound finances for the benefit of our businesses, our investments and our employment? If we …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"I congratulate my right hon. Friend on sticking unswervingly, despite all the recent difficulties, to his commitment to a balanced budget over the cycle and on answering the fears expressed by some of us by sticking to his aim of a modest budget surplus if the economic cycle remains strong. …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"I shall endeavour to give a brief speech, but I think this is a rather big occasion.
We have reached a stage six months into the new Parliament where we are defining the issues in terms of how we are going to conduct the responsible management of the economy over …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"I will give way in a moment, but I want to make some progress. I do not want to speak for long, as lots of Members want to speak. Let me just finish my outline, then I will start to give way.
"Of course the Government have a duty to look after those of all kinds who are below subsistence income—that is what we have the welfare state for. I used to support family allowances with some vigour, because in those days we had persuaded the then Government to pay it to …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech
"I do not want to take as long as the Front Benchers, so I will make a little progress.
Why do this now? There is never going to be a better time again to make more substantial progress in loosening our dependence on this subsidy to pay. I will not …..." Lord Clarke of Nottingham - View Speech