2 February 2011
During an Opposition Day debate on the work of the Department For Business, Innovation And Skills, Alok Sharma congratulates the Government on introducing business friendly policies that will lead to growth and jobs.

Alok Sharma (Reading West) (Con): The right hon. Gentleman talks about a wasted year. Does he not acknowledge that he was part of a Government who wasted 13 years, increasing taxes on businesses, national insurance, regulation and the complexity of the tax system, and doing everything to stifle jobs and growth? Does he not agree that he should be congratulating this Government on reversing many of those excesses and thanking us for putting in place a policy that will lead to growth and jobs?

Mr Denham: ... However, I would simply point out that I was proud to be part of a Government who created 3 million jobs. After we had been in office, there were 1.1 million more small businesses than there were when we came into power.

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