Contributions
802 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Charter for Budget ResponsibilityMy friend, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on economics, makes a fair point about the impact of trade agreements on family finances. However, as she knows, that is very different…29 Jan 2025HANSARD Charter for Budget ResponsibilityI am aware that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is interested in a prolonged debate today—I am not sure whether that is because of the content of the debate, or for other…29 Jan 2025HANSARD Charter for Budget ResponsibilityThat is all very well, but the Chief Secretary is talking about the wrong budget. He is talking about increases to the health budget or changes to aspects of the DWP budget; he is…29 Jan 2025HANSARD Charter for Budget ResponsibilityThe Chief Secretary to the Treasury is making a bizarre comment. The point is that the Chancellor stated in 2023 that she would not fiddle the figures. She has now changed the…29 Jan 2025HANSARD Charter for Budget ResponsibilityI have to be careful, because I have a significant constituency interest in this issue, but I want to ask a more general question about the role of infrastructure investments and…29 Jan 2025HANSARD Solar Farms: Agricultural LandOn the Minister’s comments about the Government’s announcements in December and the subsequent announcement by the National Energy System Operator about moving forward rapidly…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSupporting SMEs, Retail, and Hospitality and TourismConfidence on Britain’s high streets is sliding faster than the Chancellor will be down the ski slopes of Davos later today. With retail sales down—rather than up, as expected in…21 Jan 2025HANSARD Office for Value for MoneyI join others in thanking the hon. Lady and her Committee for producing this report. Given the increasing pressures on public expenditure since the Budget, the report is timely.…20 Jan 2025HANSARD Financial Assistance to Ukraine BillI thank the Minister for opening the debate. The Conservative Government were a vociferous advocate for mobilising Russia’s frozen sovereign assets to support Ukraine. We drove G7…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Financial Assistance to Ukraine BillOn behalf of the official Opposition, I thank the Government for bringing forward the Bill and concluding its stages in this House before we break for Christmas. I also thank the…18 Dec 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsThis weekend, 50 households in Cleat Hill were able to return home, nine weeks after the gas explosion there. That was thanks to the efforts of the local council and the local…17 Dec 2024HANSARDDraft Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Ecuador) Order 2024I echo the Minister in saying it is a pleasure to serve on the Committee under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. The Minister will be pleased to know that it is not the intention of…09 Dec 2024HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI beg to move, That this House declines to give a Second Reading to the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill because it breaks the manifesto…03 Dec 2024HANSARDManagement of Public FinancesThe Chancellor may find that in her job, she needs to listen and learn lessons. One of the many criticisms of the last Budget was that the Government fiddled the figures to borrow…03 Dec 2024HANSARDManagement of Public FinancesA cornerstone of sound management is economic certainty, but this Government seem to specialise in creating economic uncertainty; most recently they did so by delaying the date…03 Dec 2024HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillObviously it would be useful to have people with business experience in the Cabinet, if they are going to levy taxes on business. Sadly, the Government do not have that. My hon.…03 Dec 2024HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI will make a bit more progress and then give way to my right hon. Friend. If the Minister does not like the Resolution Foundation’s judgment on this tax, he should just listen to…03 Dec 2024HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillThe hon. Gentleman talks about the Conservative record. Shall I talk to him about our record on national insurance? In 2010, when Labour was last in office, it broke the economy…03 Dec 2024HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI am terribly sorry—the Minister. He shakes his head and says that it is not true. Let me turn to one of his favourite independent economic groups, the Resolution Foundation,…03 Dec 2024HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI will be very happy to give way, but I will make some progress first. If we take the Government at their word that their intention is to raise funds for public services, this…03 Dec 2024