Fiscal Responsibility Bill

I was waiting for that. My right hon. Friend and I, and my hon. Friend the Member for Braintree—I wish more people would join our chorus—have demonstrated over and over again that the figures the Government produce are simply not true, basing what we say on Office for National Statistics figures, evidence and material from House of Commons researchers, who are quite brilliant and who understand such things perfectly, and our own researches. That is the problem. It is essential for the British public to know the truth when they cast their votes in individual constituencies at the next general election. That is why my right hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham, my hon. Friend the Member for Braintree and I—doubtless my hon. Friends the Members for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke) and for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) will be doing this as well as we get nearer the general election—will be telling them the truth. In that way, when they cast their votes and exercise that freedom of choice, they will know they are making a decision about the Government's past record and what will be required to put things right after the general election. Putting things right is a question not merely of fiscal responsibility as set out in the Bill, but of the bottom line regarding the country's finances, which Standard & Poor's and Moody's will be looking at in order to make a judgment about the Government's credit rating.