Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew George Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd July 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I say to the hon. Gentleman that he needs to look at the figures. The figures show that the numbers of people waiting longer than 18 weeks, 26 weeks and 52 weeks to start treatment—[Interruption.] The shadow Chancellor says they are getting worse, but they are lower today than they ever were when he was sitting in government—lower than at any time. We have the record from yesterday of the Leader of the Opposition using dodgy statistics. Yesterday he claimed that three quarters of the jobs in our country were created in London. That is totally wrong. Have we heard an apology? Have we heard a correction? Does he want to correct the record? He will do anything to talk down the British economy.

[Andrew George (St Ives) (LD)]

The Prime Minister is aware—I have raised this issue with him before—of my long-standing campaign for serious investment in rail services from Penzance, of the independent and Liberal Democrat Cornwall council proposal for a train upgrade and train care centre at Long Rock, and of my 3,000-name petition, which I recently delivered to this House in support of that campaign. Will he visit my constituency with his cheque book and a favourable announcement?

[The Prime Minister]

I intend to spend a lot of time in my hon. Friend’s constituency between now and the next election, and I believe I will be bringing all sorts of good news for the people of St Ives.

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew George Excerpts

Wednesday 5th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Andrew George (St Ives) (LD)]

Following the questions from the right hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw) and the hon. Member for Newton Abbot (Anne Marie Morris), it is absolutely true that following the most recent storms, residents in Cornwall have been concerned that England will be completely cut off. In view of that, while MPs from Cornwall and the south-west have been content to support the billions of pounds necessary for HS2 and other transport projects to the north, does the Prime Minister accept that relatively small amounts are now needed to ensure the resilience of the rail line between Penzance and Paddington?

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew George Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd June 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I will tell you what this Government have done, and that is to put in place a £2.5 billion bank levy, raising more than Labour’s bonus tax every single year, but I have to say that, if Opposition Members want to see irresponsible people who are earning a lot of money pay proper taxes, perhaps they will explain this: why did they vote against the measures on disguised earnings in the Finance Bill which will raise £800 million from people who are giving loans to themselves to dodge taxes? [Interruption.] Well, I think that that is probably a detail that the leader of the Labour party was not really aware of.

[Andrew George (St Ives) (LD)]

Although of course we should not make a unilateral contribution to the Greek bail-out, does the Prime Minister not agree that we have something which would help regenerate the Greek economy and put right a 200-year wrong—the marbles, which we should give back?

[The Prime Minister]

I am afraid that I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman—[Interruption.]