Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Kit Malthouse

Tuesday 7th February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire) (Con)]

When the Chancellor acceded to the Treasury throne, he appointed a panel of four advisers drawn from the City. Has the panel met, has he added anybody from small business or industry, and where can we find the minutes, please?

[Jeremy Hunt]

The economic advisory council has met, I believe, three times. I will write to my right hon. Friend with the details of what was discussed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Kit Malthouse

Tuesday 15th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Hunt]

I did actually reverse most of those measures within three days of becoming Chancellor, so, among my many failings, the one thing I cannot be accused of doing is being slow to change things.

[Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire) (Con)]

As I understand it, the Chancellor is basing his fiscal strategy on Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts, but does he agree that the only thing we know for certain about those forecasts is that they are wrong?

[Jeremy Hunt]

We know that all economic forecasts are inaccurate, but that does not mean that it is better not to have a forecast than to have one. In defence of the OBR, I would say that its forecasts are more accurate than the Government forecast that we used to use before it.