Treasury and Work and Pensions

That is not right—the hon. Gentleman needs to look at the after-housing-costs figures, which are the proper definition. The speech from the Throne reflects a legislative programme that addresses head on the challenges that our country faces. It is built on the foundations of unprecedented economic stability and prosperity, which have been delivered by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and enshrines the fundamental objectives of the Government: to tackle poverty, extend opportunity and promote fairness. A strong economy and a fair society are things that the Tories never managed to achieve. In fact, they never delivered either. The contrast could not be clearer now. Today we have the longest period of sustained economic growth of any G7 economy in post-war history, with growth in every quarter of every year since 1997.