§ Mr. GillTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of a carbon tax upon employment prospects.
§ Sir John CopeThe impact of a carbon tax on employment prospects is highly uncertain and would depend on a range of factors. These include the precise nature of the tax and the use made of the additional revenues. However the net impact may well be small, with job losses in some energy-intensive industries offset by gains in other industries which use less energy.