Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Neil Carmichael and Sajid Javid

Tuesday 10th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

6. What his priorities are for business in the Government’s negotiations for reform of the EU.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid)]

We must empower businesses to compete more effectively by accelerating the integration of the single market, especially in the services, digital and energy sectors. We will do this by cutting red tape for business and pushing for more ambitious free trade agreements between the EU and the rest of the world.

[Neil Carmichael]

Does the Secretary of State agree that the best interests of business will be served by our being a member of a reformed and reforming European Union? That extends to our remaining in the single market. From my right hon. Friend’s vantage point as President of the Board of Trade, it is extraordinarily useful that the European Union can negotiate such good strong deals for us globally.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Neil Carmichael and Sajid Javid

Tuesday 15th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

Under this Government, the manufacturing sector in Britain has been growing strongly, thanks to our policies to reduce the deficit and bring back economic confidence. As I have said, working with our EU partners is hugely important to increasing trade, particularly exports, and for sectors such as the automotive industry. They are doing very well, but they could do better if we keep working with our partners.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

Given that so many of our firms are in supply chains that benefit from the single market, does the Secretary of State agree that it is absolutely necessary for the Prime Minister to make sure that we reform that single market so that we can stay in the European Union and continue to thrive as a nation?

[Sajid Javid]

We are focused on delivering a successful renegotiation, and once that is done we will let the British people make the decision in the referendum. Having a better single market is at the heart of that renegotiation: it is about having more competition, less red tape and more free trade.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Neil Carmichael and Sajid Javid

Tuesday 30th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Gentleman will know that the UK has had a long-running productivity challenge, which was made all the worse by Labour’s great recession. An increase in productivity is the surest way to raise real wages and I can assure him that it will be a major focus of this Parliament. We will shortly publish a productivity plan which I hope will reassure him that the Government take this very seriously.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State agree that in challenging the productivity problem, we need to address our minds to skills and making sure that we have the appropriate pipeline of skills running through the education system to the businesses that desperately need them?

[Sajid Javid]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on becoming Chair of the Education Committee. He is right to talk about the link between better skills and increased productivity, and I hope that in his new role he can make a valuable contribution to that.

Cost of Living

Debate between Neil Carmichael and Sajid Javid

Wednesday 27th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

The Government have increased the number of private sector jobs by 1.4 million, and 88% of those jobs in the past six months were full time. Does that not illustrate that we are rebalancing the economy towards manufacturing and engineering, which we definitely need to do? That is part of an economic plan to recover this country from the disastrous situation in which we found ourselves in 2010.

[Sajid Javid]

I agree completely with my hon. Friend—I shall make further remarks on that in a moment.

In short, Labour left our country a lot poorer, and it still has not apologised for the damage it did, despite many opportunities, including this afternoon. The Labour Government destroyed the aspirations of millions of hard-working people up and down the country. Instead, Labour Members sneer over the Dispatch Box and oppose every single measure the Government take to clean up the mess they left behind.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Neil Carmichael and Sajid Javid

Tuesday 12th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and that is why the Government have increased the personal allowance, cutting taxes for the low paid, helping 24 million people in the country. In addition, we are introducing universal credit to create the right incentives to get people back into work.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

On the subject of the personal allowance, does my hon. Friend agree that that has made a huge difference to a large number of people who are less well-off? In my constituency alone, 38,000 people have benefited.

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The previous Government abolished the 10p tax rate. This Government have cut taxes for the lowest paid in this country, 24 million people have benefited and 2 million people have been taken out of taxation altogether.