Economic Policy (Hansard, 11 March 1982)

§ 3. Mr. Cryer
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent his Budget furthers the aims of his economic policy.

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
I refer the hon. Member to my Budget Statement.

§ Mr. Cryer
Does the Chancellor of the Exchequer realise that there is a recession at the moment, that the Budget will not reduce the dole queues, that it is a cruel deception of the nation to suggest that it will, and that much more vigorous action is needed by the Government to reduce the dole queues, or does he take his advice from the April issue of "Honey" magazine, in which Mark Thatcher says that he decries the notion that there is a recession"?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
It is quite absurd to suggest that a significantly different economic policy would have a more rapid and effective impact on the dole queue. The hon. Member knows that a different prescription was tried by the Labour Party when in office. It led to a doubling of the dole queue and was not notably successful.

§ Mr. Kilroy-Silk
Is the Chancellor of the Exchequer aware that his economic policies have doubled unemployment in my constituency, which now stands at 21.8 per cent? Which measures in the Budget are likely to reduce unemployment in my constituency and how many of my unemployed constituents will have a job as a result of the decisions that he announced on Tuesday?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
The hon. Gentleman is wholly mistaken to suggest that the level of unemployment in his constituency or any other is a result of Government policy. The measures in the Budget directed to the continued conquest of inflation and to helping British trade and industry are much the most secure foundation for the reduction in unemployment, to which we all look forward.