Contributions
520 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Autumn Statement ResolutionsI beg to move, That— (1) In Schedule 1 to the Tobacco Products Duty Act 1979 (table of rates of tobacco products duty), for the Table substitute— “TABLE 1 Cigarettes An amount…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Autumn Statement ResolutionsI will say it lots of times, believe me. This Conservative Government are the party of business. This Conservative Government are the party of workers. This Conservative…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Autumn Statement ResolutionsI am sure the hon. Lady will be interested to know that taxes for the average worker have gone down by £1,000. However, those on higher incomes have had to pay more, which I am…22 Nov 2023HANSARDSocial SecurityThe Tax Credits Act 2002 and the Social Security Administration Act 1992 place a statutory duty on His Majesty’s Treasury to review the rates of tax credits and child benefit each…22 Nov 2023HANSARDLow Pay Commission RecommendationsToday I can inform the House that the Government will accept all of the independent Low Pay Commission’s recommendations for the new national living wage and national minimum wage…21 Nov 2023HANSARDPublic Sector Productivity and Public SpendingI think these claims have been addressed by the Mayor, and I will not have anything further to say about them.14 Nov 2023HANSARDPublic Sector Productivity and Public SpendingMy hon. Friend is right that public sector productivity must be improved. That is exactly what the review is looking at and what we will address. I look forward to talking to him…14 Nov 2023HANSARDPublic Sector Productivity and Public SpendingMy hon. Friend is rightly very focused on making sure that every single pound of taxpayers’ money is spent wisely, and I can assure him that the Government share that goal. In…14 Nov 2023HANSARDBenefits UpratingWe understand that things are really tough at the moment, which is why we have put in place £900 of cost of living support this year, but we also all need to work on bearing down…14 Nov 2023HANSARDBenefits UpratingThe Government are committed to supporting households with the cost of living, delivering over £94 billion of support, including uprating benefits by 10.1% this year. As I have…14 Nov 2023HANSARDEconomic GrowthIt is an honour to participate in the debates following the first King’s Speech for more than 70 years. I thank all hon. Members who have contributed to this debate, including the…14 Nov 2023HANSARDStudent Loan Repayments: InflationI thank my hon. Friend for his question. The most important thing we can do is bear down on inflation, because that will bear down on interest rates, which affect us all. I would…14 Nov 2023HANSARDPensions Triple LockAs a result of the Government’s triple lock, the basic state pension is now more than 50% higher in cash terms than it was in 2011. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is…14 Nov 2023HANSARDPensions Triple LockNice try. The triple lock was a Conservative invention, delivered by the Conservatives, and it is something to which we remain committed.14 Nov 2023HANSARDPensions Triple LockMy right hon. Friend is a brilliant advocate on these issues, and of course I would be delighted to meet him.14 Nov 2023HANSARDStudent Loan Repayments: InflationTuition fees have been frozen for 2023-24 and 2024-25, which will help affordability for future graduates. For new graduates, interest rates will move with the retail prices index…14 Nov 2023HANSARDCost of Living: ScotlandWe have announced UK-wide support for households, including cost of living payments, the energy price guarantee and the energy bills support scheme. Taken together, support for…14 Nov 2023HANSARDCost of Living: ScotlandI was pleased to see this morning’s figures, which show that wages are going ahead of inflation. This is very good news and I hope it spreads to Scotland.14 Nov 2023HANSARDInflation and Food Prices: PensionersWith the comprehensive package of support I have talked about today, we have shown that we are taking action during the cost of living crisis to help pensioners as much as we can.…04 Sept 2023HANSARDInflation and Food Prices: PensionersMy hon. Friend is absolutely right on that, and I praise all the work he has done in his constituency on pension credit. We are trying to do exactly what he sets out: encourage as…04 Sept 2023