Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Clark of Kilwinning Excerpts
Wednesday 20th June 2012

(11 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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I am sure that they will, Mr Speaker. My hon. Friend’s bringing up of the subject of divorce might be deeply troubling to Mrs Bone, so we should all seek to reassure her immediately that he is talking only about a political divorce. As someone who helped to negotiate the coalition and who values enormously co-operation with the Liberal Democrats, I will not be advocating a divorce in the Government.

Baroness Clark of Kilwinning Portrait Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)
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Q2. Will the Foreign Secretary confirm that, apart from Italy, the UK is the only country in the G20 in a double-dip recession?

Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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The fact of the matter is that the IMF now forecasts that in the coming year the British economy—[Interruption.] Opposition Members might not want to know what has been said by the IMF, but the shadow Chancellor—who is not here to make his hand gestures—has always said that we should take notice of the IMF. It says that in the coming year the British economy will grow faster than the German or French economy and that next year growth in the British economy will be similar to that of the United States and twice that of the eurozone. That would not be happening had we not brought the excessive deficits and debts of the previous Government under control.