Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Julian Smith and Justine Greening

Thursday 28th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

We had a rigorous process for looking at all the bids; they were considered by a panel of experts that we appointed. Some of the bids were modified in the light of the reaction of the independent panel, and we took our investment decisions on that basis.

[Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

8. What progress she has made on her review of the use of brown tourist signs.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Julian Smith and Justine Greening

Thursday 23rd February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

4. When she expects to publish the findings of her Department’s review of brown tourist signs.

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Justine Greening)]

The review of brown tourist signs is ongoing, and we expect to publish revised guidelines in the summer of 2012.

[Julian Smith]

I thank the roads Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning), for all that he has done to sort out the brown sign debacle at Masham in my constituency. However, given that we have had quotes of £184,000 for two brown signs, will the Secretary of State look carefully as part of the review at why the signs cost so much?

[Justine Greening]

We have challenged the costs that were originally proposed, and they will be substantially lower. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend and to the roads Minister for working so closely with the Highways Agency to reach what should be a good solution to improving the brown signs for Masham, and I hope that we will be able to reach a successful conclusion shortly.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Julian Smith and Justine Greening

Tuesday 16th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

12. What assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of recent trends in growth in the private sector.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Justine Greening)]

This Government have been determined to show that Britain is back open for business, and gross domestic product growth has been strong over the past two quarters. That growth has been driven largely by the private sector. The Office for Budget Responsibility, which this Government established, is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts, and the Chancellor has asked the OBR to publish a new forecast on 29 November. That forecast will incorporate the OBR’s assessment of the effect on the economy of recent trends of growth in the private sector.

[Julian Smith]

Does my hon. Friend agree that the hundreds and thousands of new jobs that have been created by the private sector in recent months make the outlook pretty positive? What encouragement would she give to budding young entrepreneurs in Yorkshire in existing businesses who are thinking of taking on a new employee?

[Justine Greening]

My hon. Friend is right. In quarter two alone, private sector employment grew by 308,000. I believe that many people in the country want not just to take jobs, but to create them. I would encourage them to get on with it, and to pursue their dreams and aspirations. They will have a Government behind them who are giving them a national insurance holiday for the jobs that they will create, and who are determined to support them by keeping corporation tax rates low when they are successful.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Julian Smith and Justine Greening

Tuesday 12th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. Although the emergency Budget was very much about supporting business and creating again the conditions for employment, he is right to mention pensions. That is why another key part of it, which perhaps got less attention than it otherwise would, was our managing to re-establish the earnings link with the state pension. The Labour party failed to do that in 13 years—it promised but, as ever, failed to deliver.

[Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.