The Co-operative Party

Adrian Bailey: Above all, the Queen’s Speech demonstrates that it is impossible to legislate ourselves out of a problem created by a Treasury-imposed economic fiscal policy that is demonstrably causing such damage to the economy. The economy is flatlining, the number of business insolvencies is rising, real incomes, and therefore consumption levels for British business, are being squeezed,...

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of (a) higher education maintenance grants, (b) tuition fee loans and (c) maintenance loans went to students over the age of 24 years in (i) the 2011-12 academic year to date and (ii) each of the previous three academic years.

Adrian Bailey: Manufacturing businesses in the black country are adamant that what will help them improve their investment is an increase in capital allowances, rather than cuts and cuts in corporation tax. Why do the Government not do this?

Adrian Bailey: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Adrian Bailey: I had not intended to speak in the debate, but I felt it was necessary to contribute to try and counter the argument from Government Members that taxation does not drive behaviour. It does. The arguments that I have heard from Government Members are contradictory. On the one hand we are told that the bank bonus tax did not change behaviour and there was therefore no point in imposing it. On...

Adrian Bailey: The Chancellor opened his statement by promising us that this is a Budget that “rewards work”, “backs business” and “is on the side of aspiration”. Fine words, but I remember the last Budget, which he said would “put fuel into the tank of the British economy.”-[ Official Report, 23 March 2011; Vol. 525, c. 966.] I have an uncomfortable...

Adrian Bailey: I accept the Minister’s point about the duplication of effort of RDAs-an issue highlighted in previous BIS reports-but I am not totally convinced that the best way of dealing with that was to scrap the RDAs before having an alternative.

Adrian Bailey: When he proposes to bring in the Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill.

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to tackle women's unemployment.

Adrian Bailey: So far, the Government’s response to the unfair relationship between pub companies and their licensees has been self-regulation, not statutory regulation. On 12 January this year the House voted unanimously to set up a review panel, to be agreed by the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, to review the implementation of self-regulation, but to date there has been absolutely no...