Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

David Miliband Excerpts
Tuesday 1st November 2011

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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Actually, you just have. You made him your general election strategist. However, I will not comment on the tax affairs of individuals, although I suspect that many will over the coming years.

David Miliband Portrait David Miliband (South Shields) (Lab)
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The Chancellor will remember, in his first Budget, fixing a target for debt

“to place our fiscal credibility beyond doubt”. —[Official Report, 22 June 2010; Vol. 512, c. 167.]

That target was for debt to be reduced by the end of the Parliament, but, according to figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility, it depends on economic growth of 2.8%. How far below 2.8% must growth fall for the Chancellor’s fiscal mandate and his fiscal credibility to be shot to pieces?