Contributions
1,831 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseMy noble friend is right. The Government are reducing the tax burden by delivering tax cuts worth around £45 billion by 2026-27. We know that is for both individuals, through the…13 Oct 2022HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseI am well aware of what the Prime Minister said yesterday. I reiterate that the 2021 spending review set out the departmental budgets for three years and overall departmental…13 Oct 2022HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseI have spoken about an efficiency review and a reprioritisation, and that is under way. I say that it is not all as the noble Lord paints; for example, we have got unemployment…13 Oct 2022HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseOn the mortgage market, I am very aware of the pain that many people are suffering at the moment. Interest rates have been going up—this is not just a matter for the UK; it is a…13 Oct 2022HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseWe will obviously have to wait for the fiscal statement that is coming on 31 October. We, and she, expect departments to continuously be identifying opportunities to bring down…13 Oct 2022HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseI am not going to be drawn into responding to that. What I will say is that we are set on announcing the medium-term fiscal plan—as I have mentioned at least three times—on 31…13 Oct 2022HANSARDPublic Spending: Borrowing IncreaseI thank my noble friend. I think the Opposition probably do understand that. The Government launched the independent review into the delivery of the net-zero climate commitments…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationThe noble Lord will not expect me to agree with much, or any, of what he says, because it was right that the Government took a very rapid step to support those in the lowest…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationThere are two points to raise on this front. The pensions are confirmed. The decisions being taken by the Bank of England are enough to respond to the market turbulence by…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationThe Treasury is working with the Bank of England to monitor the implementation of the operations that the Bank has decided to undertake and the potential risks that it may pose,…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationI probably answered the noble Lord’s question earlier by stating, as an observation, what the Bank has done. I mentioned the announcements made on those three dates. The Bank has…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationThe detailed plans will be announced on 31 October so, picking up on what the noble Lord has said, there are five key areas where the detail is needed on what we are planning to…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationI agree with my noble friend. We have already said that the announcement of the medium-term fiscal plan on 31 October will be accompanied by the independent OBR assessment of the…13 Oct 2022HANSARDEconomic SituationI wish I could give the noble Lord a full explanation for that. I have no information on the Russian rouble in my file. I just take this opportunity to say, as I think I said…13 Oct 2022HANSARDHealth TaxesThe Government are very much aware of the pressures that the NHS is facing. I think we will have to wait until 31 October for the fiscal plan to understand exactly how expenditure…12 Oct 2022HANSARDHealth TaxesMy Lords, I am very aware that the latest estimate of the annual cost to the NHS in the UK of obesity-related ill health is around £6.5 billion—that is the 2021 figure. I add that…12 Oct 2022HANSARDHealth TaxesIt is a continuing initiative and a continuing battle to fight obesity. It is a really important issue and a cross-government initiative. I mentioned already the holiday,…12 Oct 2022HANSARDHealth TaxesI am unable to confirm that. However, I can confirm—I think this is common knowledge—that a review on efficiency is under way and, as I said to the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton,…12 Oct 2022HANSARDHealth TaxesThat is a fair point from the noble Baroness. How long does she have? But if I may answer that very briefly, obviously, we are aware of the pressures that people are under,…12 Oct 2022HANSARDHealth TaxesI feel certain that that has been considered but I am afraid I am none the wiser as to whether it might be taken forward. Again, I will write to my noble friend if I have any…12 Oct 2022