Corporation Tax (Northern Ireland) Bill

Those are points that I shall touch on in my remarks, and I am sure that other right hon. and hon...

Does the hon. Gentleman—indeed my hon. Friend—accept that in addition to that being grossly unfai...

The hon. Gentleman is exactly right. I have to be honest that the slightly left-handed amendment ...

It is important to recognise—I think that the hon. Gentleman will agree—that the point of that ex...

I take that point fully. That is why I am so glad that the hon. Member has seconded the amendment...

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my right hon. and hon. Friends support his amendment, and I ...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that support and endorsement and hope that the House will today ac...

Does that not really take the biscuit when the Progressive is told by the Treasury that only 5% o...

Exactly. I take the hon. Member’s point. There is no known rational basis for it. In circumstance...

I have been watching the Government Front Bench and I know that the Secretary of State for Northe...

I would be absolutely delighted. I would gladly accommodate that intervention, and not just in on...

Such is the invitation, I cannot refuse. This is a somewhat complex matter. I can assure hon. Mem...

We await with bated breath the Minister’s great revelations and technical epiphanies.

Whate...

Is my hon. Friend aware that the Assembly’s Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, which...

It is indeed the case that the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, through its chair,...

The hon. Gentleman alluded to this at the outset, but it might be beneficial to remind the Minist...

I fully take the hon. Gentleman’s point. That was recently made apparent within the precincts of ...

We await the Minister’s more detailed explanation and context setting, but he said in Committee, ...

It was a bit of an enigma to some of us on the Committee. Although we asked the Minister about it...

As we have heard, the amendment tabled by the hon. Members for Foyle (Mark Durkan) and for Belfas...

Many people save with credit unions in Northern Ireland and the credit unions are assisted valian...

I can give that reassurance. They will not be affected by the legislation. Credit unions have two...

I am genuinely very grateful to the Financial Secretary. He has categorically assured the House a...

The first point to make is that there are certain excluded activities. Lending and investment are...

rose—

I will give way one last time if the hon. Gentleman wants me to, or perhaps he wishes to speak on...

Maybe both.

I give way.

Will the Minister indicate whether the powers in proposed new sections 357XH and 357XI of the Cor...

I return to the point that I have made about the fundamental structure or principles behind the d...

I am disappointed by the tone struck by the Minister, because Members present—from all parties an...

The Bill is based on the principle of separating trading activities from investment activities, a...

I take that point from the Minister; nevertheless, the provisions in the Bill that I just quoted ...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

I would like to start by noting th...

I thank my hon. Friend for his hard work in taking the Bill through the House. It is important fo...

My hon. Friend raises an important point. We are in an era when countries are generally reducing ...

In case we are building up false hope, I would be grateful if the Minister made it clear that red...

The hon. Lady makes an important point, although it is for the Northern Ireland Executive to judg...

As we have recently seen, a cut in the higher rate of income tax leads to increased revenues—from...

My right hon. Friend will be aware of the Treasury’s study into the effects of our reductions in ...

I would like to associate myself with the Minister’s comments about the quality of our debate thu...

I welcome the shadow Minister’s comments, but does she accept that much of this is about percepti...

The hon. Gentleman is right to say that the perception of business is really important, but he wi...

rose—

Will the hon. Lady give way?

I give way first to the hon. Lady.

I am grateful. I am curious to know what reassurances a future Labour Government would give, if t...

I am grateful for the hon. Lady’s intervention, but I am afraid that I am going to disappoint her...

rose—

I do not want to repeat a lengthy debate on credit unions, but I will give way to the hon. Lady o...

I am extremely grateful, but we need some clarity on this. There is potential for the Labour part...

With respect to the hon. Lady, the whole scope of the Northern Ireland regime under the Bill rela...

Order. The amendment has been discussed and withdrawn. We had a lengthy debate on it and we do no...

I am grateful, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I will move on to the rest of my remarks.

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Forgive me, but because of time considerations, I will not.

Let me raise a couple of issues...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

The right hon. Gentleman is persistent. I will give way to him very briefly.

When will the Labour party give justice to England? Surely, given the devolution of tax matters t...

With respect, responding to the right hon. Gentleman’s intervention would lead me into a much len...

I congratulate the Minister and the Secretary of State. I also pay tribute to my right hon. Frien...

Let me begin by thanking the Secretary of State and the Minister of State for the Bill, and thank...

I assure the hon. Gentleman that many of us have pressed for a measure of this kind for a long ti...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his comments. I certainly believe that we need to be very pr...

I do not wish to detain the House for very long. I merely want to put on record my thanks to the ...

On the economic issues and making the most of this devolved corporation tax power, does the hon. ...

I am aware of the pressure to want to do that quickly, but it is also important that, as the Exec...

Does the hon. Lady agree that along with having corporation tax as a financial lever, and the nee...

I am aware that the hon. Lady has long since advocated such a move, as have I. Unfortunately, the...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak in this important debate on corpora...

So to speak.

Indeed.

Some Members have suggested that the devolution of corporation tax is not a silver ...

Would my hon. Friend acknowledge that, in addition to some people here giving up on devolving the...

I have to say that I am shocked. My right hon. Friend wants me to start electioneering in the Hou...

Look at the record.

I know that the record is a powerful one. We did not give up on this; we pushed for it. I think t...

The hon. Gentleman will have noted that the Minister made the valid point earlier that the devolu...

This is not the place to debate all of the Stormont House agreement, but given that we were instr...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that as part of lowering the level of corporation tax in Northern I...

The hon. Lady makes a good point—it is key. This tax is not just about investment in Belfast, Lon...

Order. I know that the hon. Gentleman will be very careful in sticking to the narrow confines of ...

Thank you for that prompt, Madam Deputy Speaker. I was actually at the point of conclusion, and I...

I will probably differ in some emphasis and some recollection from the hon. Member for North Antr...

Order. I will say to the hon. Gentleman the same as I said to the hon. Member for North Antrim (I...

I am sticking very much to the thrust and the purpose of the Bill. The Bill is presented as part ...

The hon. Gentleman has said on a number of occasions that, as a result of the Stormont House agre...

Order. Interventions are meant to be short. The hon. Lady has already spoken. It is perfectly in ...

I have no wish to argue with you now, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I must say that I was not arguing...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his courtesy and for not arguing with me.

Question put and a...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I should be grateful if confirmed how this House could...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. Let me first say on behalf of the whole House ...