Oral Answers to Questions

Adam Holloway Excerpts

Wednesday 16th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

The hon. Gentleman was a strong supporter of Lord Myners and will know therefore that the latter said:

“The Government cannot create jobs. The Government can create an environment that is conducive to the creation of jobs”.—[Official Report, House of Lords, 8 June 2010; Vol. 719, c. 625.]

That is the priority of this coalition Government.

[Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham) (Con)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on Scotland’s future energy needs.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore)]

My colleagues and I are fully committed to ensuring that Scotland is able to continue to play an important role in meeting the UK’s aspirations for climate change and security of supply.

[Mr Holloway]

Can my right hon. Friend give us an assurance that Scotland’s energy capacity will remain at the forefront of global renewable advances?

[Michael Moore]

I am very happy to give that assurance.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Prime Minister]

I would certainly meet the hon. Gentleman. I know how frustrating this can be; Siemens is a big investor in my constituency, too. The jobs that he is speaking about are exactly the sort of high-tech, high-skill jobs that we want to keep in this country. Therefore, I will certainly meet him, and we will do what we can in the Budget to ensure that we have in this country a tax regime, support for apprenticeships and support for training that will want to make businesses locate, stay and invest in Britain.

[Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham) (Con)]

Q10. Every household in Gravesham has inherited a sort of second mortgage of debt. Can the Prime Minister give us some idea of the level of debt per household across the country?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is entirely right that every single person in this country is now carrying £22,000 of debt because of the mess that the last Labour Government left us. The fact is this: if we do not do something about it, by the end of this Parliament, we will be paying £70 billion in debt interest. That is more than we spend on schools and more than we spend on defence. It would be a tragic waste of money. That is why, however painful it is, we have to get to grips with the deficit that we were left by the last Labour Government.