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10.29 pm
Mr. Jack: This is the last Finance Bill of this Parliament, but it is fitting because it crowns five years of achievement on the economy. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) for his kind words. I might add some of my own, if I may, for my colleagues the Economic Secretary and the Exchequer Secretary, who have ably piloted their sections of the Bill to a successful conclusion.
The Bill is very much in the shape in which it started, which is a testament to the excellence of the original drafting. It is a Budget that confirms those who currently sit on Government Benches and the Conservative party as those who are committed to cutting taxes. We cut the basic rate of income tax to 23p in the pound, the lowest basic rate for nearly 60 years, and it signalled the continuing rise in living standards that has been the hallmark of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
We have taken steps in the Bill to protect the tax base; the 14 separate measures on closing tax loopholes alone will yield more than £1 billion. They have secured public finances that are very solid indeed. Our public sector borrowing requirement to gross domestic product ratio throughout our tenure of office--2½ per cent.--was not equalled by the best that the official Opposition could do when they were in government. It is not something that even they could dream about.
The state of our public finances is strong; our tax-cutting agenda has been resumed; the tax base has been secured. I commend the Bill to the House.
Question put, That the Bill be now read the Third time:--
The House divided: Ayes 202, Noes 21.
Tellers for the Ayes:
Tellers for the Noes:
Question accordingly agreed to.
Bill read the Third time, and passed.
Mr. John Austin-Walker (Woolwich):
I have a petition on behalf of the Eruthianathan family who live in my constituency. In addition to the formal petition, there is a petition in like form signed by several hundred parishioners of the St. Benet's parish in Abbey Wood. The petition is also supported by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, the Anglican Bishop of Southwark, the Eruthianathans' own local bishop, the head of St. Paul's Roman Catholic secondary school, Abbey Wood, and the head of the Christ the King sixth form centre.
The petition reads:
AYES
Ainsworth, Peter (E Surrey)
Alexander, Richard
Alison, Rt Hon Michael (Selby)
Allason, Rupert (Torbay)
Amess, David
Arbuthnot, James
Arnold, Jacques (Gravesham)
Ashby, David
Atkins, Rt Hon Robert
Atkinson, Peter (Hexham)
Baldry, Tony
Banks, Matthew (Southport)
Bates, Michael
Beggs, Roy
Bellingham, Henry
Bendall, Vivian
Beresford, Sir Paul
Biffen, Rt Hon John
Bonsor, Sir Nicholas
Booth, Hartley
Boswell, Tim
Bowden, Sir Andrew
Bowis, John
Boyson, Rt Hon Sir Rhodes
Brandreth, Gyles
Brazier, Julian
Bright, Sir Graham
Brooke, Rt Hon Peter
Brown, Michael (Brigg Cl'thorpes)
Browning, Mrs Angela
Burt, Alistair
Butler, Peter
Carlisle, John (Luton N)
Carlisle, Sir Kenneth (Linc'n)
Carrington, Matthew
Cash, William
Channon, Rt Hon Paul
Chapman, Sir Sydney
Churchill, Mr
Clappison, James
Clark, Dr Michael (Rochf'd)
Clarke, Rt Hon Kenneth
(Rushcliffe)
Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey
Coe, Sebastian
Congdon, David
Conway, Derek
Coombs, Simon (Swindon)
Cope, Rt Hon Sir John
Couchman, James
Davis, Rt Hon David (Boothferry)
Day, Stephen
Douglas-Hamilton,
Rt Hon Lord James
Dover, Den
Duncan, Alan
Dunn, Bob
Eggar, Rt Hon Tim
Evans, Jonathan (Brecon)
Evans, Nigel (Ribble V)
Evans, Roger (Monmouth)
Faber, David
Fabricant, Michael
Fenner, Dame Peggy
Forman, Nigel
Forsyth, Rt Hon Michael (Stirling)
Forth, Rt Hon Eric
Freeman, Rt Hon Roger
French, Douglas
Fry, Sir Peter
Gallie, Phil
Garnier, Edward
Gill, Christopher
Goodlad, Rt Hon Alastair
Goodson-Wickes, Dr Charles
Greenway, John (Ryedale)
Griffiths, Peter (Portsmouth N)
Hague, Rt Hon William
Hamilton, Rt Hon Sir Archibald
Hanley, Rt Hon Jeremy
Hannam, Sir John
Hargreaves, Andrew
Harris, David
Hawkins, Nick
Hawksley, Warren
Heald, Oliver
Heathcoat-Amory, Rt Hon David
Hendry, Charles
Hicks, Sir Robert
Howell, Rt Hon David (Guildf'd)
Hughes, Robert G (Harrow W)
Hunt, Sir John (Ravensb'ne)
Hunter, Andrew
Jack, Rt Hon Michael
Jackson, Robert (Wantage)
Jenkin, Bernard (Colchester N)
Johnson Smith,
Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey
Jones, Gwilym (Cardiff N)
Jones, Robert B (W Herts)
Key, Robert
King, Rt Hon Tom
Knapman, Roger
Knight, Mrs Angela (Erewash)
Knight, Rt Hon Greg (Derby N)
Knight, Dame Jill (Edgbaston)
Knox, Sir David
Kynoch, George
Lait, Mrs Jacqui
Legg, Barry
Leigh, Edward
Lennox-Boyd, Sir Mark
Lester, Sir Jim (Broxtowe)
Lidington, David
Lilley, Rt Hon Peter
Lord, Michael
Luff, Peter
Lyell, Rt Hon Sir Nicholas
MacGregor, Rt Hon John
MacKay, Andrew
Maclean, Rt Hon David
McLoughlin, Patrick
Mans, Keith
Marlow, Tony
Marshall, John (Hendon S)
Marshall, Sir Michael (Arundel)
Martin, David (Portsmouth S)
Merchant, Piers
Mitchell, Andrew (Gedling)
Mitchell, Sir David (NW Hants)
Moate, Sir Roger
Monro, Rt Hon Sir Hector
Neubert, Sir Michael
Newton, Rt Hon Tony
Nicholson, David (Taunton)
Onslow, Rt Hon Sir Cranley
Oppenheim, Phillip
Page, Richard
Paice, James
Patnick, Sir Irvine
Patten, Rt Hon John
Pattie, Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey
Pawsey, James
Peacock, Mrs Elizabeth
Pickles, Eric
Porter, David
Portillo, Rt Hon Michael
Powell, William (Corby)
Renton, Rt Hon Tim
Richards, Rod
Roberts, Rt Hon Sir Wyn
Robertson, Raymond S (Ab'd'n S)
Robinson, Mark (Somerton)
Roe, Mrs Marion
Rowe, Andrew
Ryder, Rt Hon Richard
Scott, Rt Hon Sir Nicholas
Shaw, David (Dover)
Shaw, Sir Giles (Pudsey)
Shepherd, Sir Colin (Heref'd)
Shersby, Sir Michael
Smith, Tim (Beaconsf'ld)
Spencer, Sir Derek
Spicer, Sir Michael (S Worcs)
Spink, Dr Robert
Spring, Richard
Sproat, Iain
Squire, Robin (Hornchurch)
Stanley, Rt Hon Sir John
Stephen, Michael
Stern, Michael
Stewart, Allan
Streeter, Gary
Sweeney, Walter
Sykes, John
Taylor, Ian (Esher)
Taylor, John M (Solihull)
Taylor, Sir Teddy
Thomason, Roy
Thompson, Sir Donald (Calder V)
Thompson, Patrick (Norwich N)
Thornton, Sir Malcolm
Townsend, Sir Cyril (Bexl'yh'th)
Tracey, Richard
Tredinnick, David
Trend, Michael
Trotter, Neville
Twinn, Dr Ian
Viggers, Peter
Waldegrave, Rt Hon William
Walden, George
Waterson, Nigel
Watts, John
Wells, Bowen
Whitney, Sir Raymond
Whittingdale, John
Widdecombe, Rt Hon Miss Ann
Wiggin, Sir Jerry
Willetts, David
Wilshire, David
Winterton, Mrs Ann (Congleton)
Winterton, Nicholas (Macclesf'ld)
Wolfson, Mark
Wood, Timothy
Young, Rt Hon Sir George
Mr. Richard Ottaway and
Mr. Anthony Coombs.
NOES
Beith, Rt Hon A J
Bruce, Malcolm (Gordon)
Campbell, Menzies (Fife NE)
Carlile, Alex (Montgomery)
Chidgey, David
Davies, Chris (Littleborough)
Foster, Don (Bath)
Harvey, Nick
Johnston, Sir Russell
Jones, Nigel (Cheltenham)
Kennedy, Charles (Ross C & S)
Maclennan, Robert
Maddock, Mrs Diana
Nicholson, Miss Emma (W Devon)
Rendel, David
Salmond, Alex
Skinner, Dennis
Taylor, Matthew (Truro)
Thurnham, Peter
Tyler, Paul
Wallace, James
Mr. Archy Kirkwood and
Ms Liz Lynne.10.41 pm
The Humble Petition . . . sheweth that it is the intention of the Secretary of State for the Home Department to deport Rita and Francis Eruthianathan and their two children, Llewellyn . . . and Lynette . . . ; that the family have lived in the UK continuously for 7 years and Llewellyn and Lynette have spent most of their Secondary School education in England; and that Mrs. Rita Eruthianathan's widowed mother and seven brothers and sisters are permanently resident in the UK and that her mother was granted leave to remain in the UK to be united with her family.
To lie upon the Table.
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will call upon the Secretary of State for the Home Department to review his decision on compelling compassionate grounds and allow Rita, Francis, Llewellyn and Lynette Eruthianathan to remain in the United Kingdom.
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