Contributions
1,562 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsWhile the Government do not comment on movements in the bond market, it was very important to us to create that extra headroom in order to bring down the cost of Government…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsAs the Budget documents and as the EFO makes clear, the downgrade in productivity was real. That was a £16 billion hit to economic forecasts, and it was a challenge that we…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsIt is clear that this is a very serious matter, and it is right that the Government respond to it with the seriousness it demands. As my hon. Friend made clear, this is not—to…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsThe right hon. Gentleman is a former Treasury Minister, so he will know the importance of the OBR’s productivity downgrade and the impact that that has had on the forecasts. He…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsI will come to the Dispatch Box and say that this Government take the Budget process and their responsibilities to this House incredibly seriously. As the permanent secretary has…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsI thank my hon. Friend for drawing a comparison between the way in which we as a Government interact with the OBR and the way in which the Liz Truss Government interacted with the…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsThe real focus of the Chancellor has been on cutting the cost of living, cutting NHS waiting lists and cutting Government borrowing. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman, like all…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsThe Chancellor chose on 4 November to be up front with people about the challenges we face. At the Budget, she chose to cut the cost of living, cut NHS waiting lists and cut…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsOne of the reasons we take this matter so seriously is precisely the value that we place on the OBR. We see it as having a vital role in a robust and transparent fiscal framework,…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsAt the Budget, the decisions the Chancellor took on tax were fair and necessary. Yes, we are asking everyone to make a contribution, but we have also taken decisions on increasing…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsObviously, the questions about what is done by the leadership of the OBR are for the leadership of the OBR, but I can tell my hon. Friend that the Government take last week’s…01 Dec 2025HANSARDOffice for Budget Responsibility ForecastsThe Chancellor was clear at the Budget last week that we were taking the fair and necessary taxation decisions to ensure that everyone makes a contribution, but that the…01 Dec 2025HANSARDChild Benefit and Guardian's Allowance: UpratingThe Tax Credits Act 2002 and Social Security Administration Act 1992 place a statutory duty on His Majesty’s Treasury to review the rates of child benefit each year in line with…26 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsI fear that my history is not good enough to know exactly what that question means. [ Interruption. ] I am embarrassed to admit it. I am not entirely clear, but I suspect that I…17 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsI can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Budget is next week, on Wednesday 26 November. I can also reassure him that businesses are welcoming the Chancellor’s iron-clad commitment…17 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsMy hon. Friend is right that I cannot speculate on the contents of the Budget, but I can thank his mother for her years of service to HMRC. I can also reassure her, him and the…17 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsAs I made clear earlier, the level of noise and speculation ahead of the Budget is regrettable, but I will not engage in further speculation on these measures today.17 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsThe hon. Gentleman is incorrect to say that the Chancellor announced measures in her speech earlier this month. All measures are announced on Budget day. What the Chancellor set…17 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsAs I have said already today, there is, regrettably, always noise and speculation ahead of the Budget, but I am not going to contribute toward that speculation.17 Nov 2025HANSARDBudget: Press BriefingsAs I have said, there is always noise and speculation ahead of a Budget, but I will not engage in speculation about what the Chancellor will announce on 26 November, because that…17 Nov 2025