Oxford-Cambridge Arc Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) (Con) 1.
What recent steps he has taken with the Secretary of State for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to deliver the economic
growth potential of the Oxford-Cambridge arc.(902244) The Exchequer
Secretary to the Treasury (James Cartlidge) Oxford, Cambridge and,
of course, Milton Keynes are part of a globally significant area
with world-leading technology, life sciences and space sectors.
However,...Request free trial
Oxford-Cambridge Arc
(Milton Keynes South)
(Con)
1. What recent steps he has taken with the Secretary of State for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to deliver the economic
growth potential of the Oxford-Cambridge arc.(902244)
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury ()
Oxford, Cambridge and, of course, Milton Keynes are part of a
globally significant area with world-leading technology, life
sciences and space sectors. However, their growth potential is
constrained by poor connectivity, a lack of lab space and high
housing costs. The Government are committed to working with local
authorities and other stakeholders to unlock growth. The first
section of East West Rail is in construction and will bring
benefits to my hon. Friend’s constituency in 2025.
I congratulate my hon. Friend on his appointment. A few weeks
ago, the hon. Member for Cambridge () and I hosted an event for
the East West main line partnership to launch its report,
“Building Better Connections”, which sets out the wider economic
benefits of the arc as a whole and the rail line in particular. I
urge my hon. Friend to read that report and assure me that any
investment decisions will be based on the wider economic benefit,
not just on a narrow cost-benefit analysis.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his fine words and welcome.
We will consider that report with interest, and I was glad to
hear about the event that he hosted with the hon. Member for
Cambridge (). I pay tribute to my hon.
Friend as a long-standing champion not just of the East West Rail
connection, but of the wider growth opportunity that links in
with that. This is such an important area not only for
international competitiveness, but for the UK economy. As he
knows, the first section of East West Rail is already in
construction and we will set out the next steps on the later
stages shortly. I reassure him that we recognise the significant
economic growth that the project could unlock by increasing
connectivity and supporting the region’s high productivity
sectors.
Mr Speaker
In that case, let us bring in , as the other party.
(Cambridge) (Lab)
I hear the answer, but this issue is so important not just for
the arc, but for unlocking the transport and housing issues in a
city such as Cambridge. On different days of the week, we get
different views from different Secretaries of State. Can we hear
what the Treasury’s view is on the importance of restoring the
rail link?
As a fellow East Anglian MP, it is great to see the hon. Member
working in partnership with colleagues on these important matters
for his constituency. He will know that the region was singled
out by The Economist in August 2022 as being vital to invest in
if the UK is to achieve growth and proper investment, and that
East West Rail was a key recommendation in the National
Infrastructure Commission’s 2017 report to unlock the potential
of the Oxford and Cambridge area, including Milton Keynes. That
has not changed and we are committed to it.
Bolton: Public and Private Investment
(Bolton South East)
(Lab)
2. What recent estimate he has made of levels of (a) public and
(b) private investment in Bolton.(902245)
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury ()
The Government have made significant recent public investment in
Bolton. For example, the first round of the levelling-up fund
invested £20 million to create the Bolton College of Medical
Sciences, and Bolton received £22.9 million from the towns fund
to support its long-term economic and social regeneration. On the
second part of the hon. Lady’s question, the Government do not
routinely make estimates of private investment in towns.
Last week, I met the chief executive of Bolton and Bury citizens
advice bureau. Among the many pieces of work that it does, it
employs money advisers. However, the Money and Pensions
Service—the arm’s length body that funds citizens advice
bureaux—is set to lose 10% of its funding. For my local branch,
that means about £22,000, or the cost of one member of staff.
With demand for its services doubling, given the energy and cost
of living crises, how can the Chancellor push through those
callous cuts to a scheme that supports some of the poorest and
most vulnerable in Bolton? Will he reverse those cuts?
The hon. Lady refers to the Money and Pensions Service. During
the pandemic, additional Government grants were made available to
support debt advisers. Some of that money was not used. There has
been an attempt to look at how that money is distributed, but I
would be happy to take this matter back and refer it to the
Economic Secretary to see what can be done to give
clarification.
Sir (Rossendale and Darwen)
(Con)
It is not just in Bolton but in the adjoining area of Darwen and
Rossendale that we welcome public sector investment, such as the
Darwen town deal, which is investing £100 million. However, we
are keenly interested to hear what those on the Treasury Bench
will do to support capital investment, particularly in
manufacturing businesses. We hope that in the forthcoming autumn
statement the Government will give some support to our great
manufacturers in Lancashire.
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right; it is critical that we
maintain capital investment, use that money efficiently, focus on
outputs and outcomes, and ensure that we set the conditions for
growth in the economy.
Cost of Energy: Support for Families
(Leigh) (Con)
3. What recent steps his Department has taken to support families
with the cost of energy bills.(902246)
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
6. What recent steps his Department has taken to support families
with the cost of energy bills.(902251)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer ()
The Government have taken decisive action to support millions of
households with the energy price guarantee, which caps the cost
of energy at £2,500 for the average household. We are also
spending £37 billion to support millions of low-income
households.
Will my right hon. Friend tell me what the average household
energy bill would have been if the Government had not intervened
to help hard-working families across Britain?
I thank my hon. Friend for his informative question, because it
allows me to say that with the energy price guarantee at £2,500,
the average saving for consumers across the country—including his
constituents in Leigh, for whom he is a formidable advocate—is
£700.
I have received correspondence from park home residents about the
£400 of support with their bills. I recognise and welcome the
measures to limit prices, but these households are seeing their
electricity bills go up alongside the cost of their heating oil
or gas bottles. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that his
Department and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy are working together to get support to park home
residents before the end of the year?
I, too, have park home residents in my constituency. It is very
important that we treat them fairly and give them the help that
we are giving others, so we have set up the energy bills support
scheme alternative funding as a way of helping them. It is
designed to give them the equivalent of the £400 that we are
giving to people with more normal energy consumption patterns. I
will write to my hon. Friend with more details.
(East Antrim) (DUP)
BBC Radio 4 erroneously claimed this morning that energy payments
to consumers in Northern Ireland would be held up because of the
non-operation of the Assembly as a result of the Northern Ireland
protocol. Ministers have worked with the Minister for the Economy
in Northern Ireland and have made commitments that payments will
be made before Christmas, but some senior civil servants seem to
be seeking to use non-payment as a lever to get the Assembly back
into operation. Will the Chancellor confirm, first, that money is
available for the package; secondly, that the energy companies
are ready to deliver it; and thirdly, that the Government will
keep their commitment to ensure that payments are made before
Christmas? Will he also investigate whether civil servants are
interfering in the political process in Northern Ireland?
I assure the right hon. Gentleman that we are absolutely
determined to ensure that support gets out to everyone in the
United Kingdom as quickly as possible this Christmas. I am
absolutely not aware of any delay of the kind that he suggests,
but I will happily make inquiries to make sure of that.
(Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
The cold weather payment is a lifeline for those on low incomes,
but the current £25 rate was set in 2008. Today, it should be
worth £37. Will the Chancellor collaborate with the Secretary of
State for Work and Pensions and look into updating the figure in
the light of the energy crisis?
I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that I have had extensive
discussions with our excellent new Work and Pensions Secretary
about how we support people on low incomes—precisely the
vulnerable people that he is talking about. He will have to wait
until Thursday for the details of our plan, but we have said
that, in a very difficult time, protecting the most vulnerable
will be our top priority.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister, .
(Ealing North) (Lab/Co-op)
Two years ago, in a video entitled “Rishi Explains: Green Home
Grants”, the current Prime Minister enthusiastically took credit
for the green homes grant scheme. Six months later, the scheme
collapsed and £1 billion was cut from its budget. The truth is
that we have the draughtiest homes in Europe, but when it comes
to insulating homes, the Government are nowhere to be seen. If
the Government had followed our plan last year, 2 million of the
coldest homes could already have been upgraded, saving households
more than £2 billion on energy bills this year alone. Home
insulation should be a no-brainer. Will the Chancellor explain
why the Government will not follow Labour’s plans and get on with
it?
There are all sorts of bigger reasons why we do not want to
follow Labour’s plans, not least because they would bankrupt the
economy. On the scheme to help people to insulate their homes,
the picture that the hon. Gentleman presents is not correct. We
are spending billions of pounds to help hundreds of thousands of
families up and down the country to insulate their homes. We
completely recognise that that is a vital part of our long-term
energy policy.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson, .
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
I welcome this latest Chancellor to his place. Many of our
constituents, such as my constituent Angela, have seen their
bills double. Angela’s gas bill has gone up from £130 to £260 a
month. She lives in a tiny, two-bedroom flat on carer’s allowance
and personal independence payment, with a son who has a
disability, and she simply cannot afford these bills. Cornwall
Insight has estimated that come March, when the energy support
ends, the price cap will rise to £3,700. There has been talk of
targeting support after that, but National Energy Action has
pointed out the risk that many people who are already suffering
in fuel poverty will be excluded. What reassurance can he give
people out there whose bills are already unaffordable about what
will happen in March?
I want to reassure the hon. Lady. My right hon. Friend the Chief
Secretary to the Treasury spoke to , the Scottish Finance
Minister, yesterday. We are thinking very carefully about all
these issues, but to correct any misunderstanding, let me add
that the energy price support that we give to families will not
end next April, and I will announce on Thursday what that support
will be.
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
(Stroud) (Con)
4. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce red
tape for small and medium-sized enterprises.(902247)
(North Warwickshire)
(Con)
7. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce red
tape for small and medium-sized enterprises.(902252)
(Watford) (Con)
11. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce red
tape for small and medium-sized enterprises.(902256)
(Clacton) (Con)
12. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce red
tape for small and medium-sized enterprises.(902257)
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury ()
The Government are rightly reducing the burden of regulation for
tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises. Just a
month ago, the presumption of exemption when Departments make
regulations was extended from businesses with fewer than 50
employees to those with fewer than 500, and we expect 40,000 SMEs
to benefit from that.
People in the Stroud district are looking for ways to improve the
energy efficiency of their homes, but a constituent has raised
with me the difficulty of securing finance for products such as
solar photovoltaic and batteries. Will my hon. Friend agree to
ensure that the Government work with me in looking into whether
the Consumer Credit Act 1974 constitutes a barrier to banks
providing finance for renewable energy solutions, and whether
changes could be made to the Act to assist consumers and
businesses without a cost to the taxpayer?
My hon. Friend regularly champions the cause of her constituents
with Ministers. The Government are committed to reforming the
Consumer Credit Act, recognising the need for modernisation of
this regulation. I hope that such reform can support the vital
investment needed to improve the sustainability of homes in her
constituency and across the UK.
As a former small business owner in the financial services
sector, I know all too well how red tape and disproportionate
regulation hamper competitors in the industry, often to the
detriment of consumers, particularly those who are vulnerable.
The Financial Services and Markets Bill presents a great
opportunity to ensure that our world-leading insurance and
financial services industry remains globally competitive. Can the
Minister confirm that he will take all possible steps to ensure
that the Bill delivers to its full potential, with regulators
being held more accountable for their decisions?
I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. As he knows, the
Government are committed to effective, efficient and
proportionate regulation. He has advocated a number of amendments
to that Bill, and I am giving them due consideration.
A common concern for small business people I speak to, in Watford
and beyond, is cash flow, which has a heavy impact on
organisations, for instance when Governments make late payments.
May I ask the Government to ensure that the announcement to be
made this week sends the clear message that all Departments and
local government bodies follow the prompt payment policy robustly
and, whenever possible, encourage businesses to follow the prompt
payment code, so that SMEs can be paid quickly and fully and do
not suffer in the efforts to make efficiencies and savings?
I know that my colleagues will join me in paying tribute to my
hon. Friend for the time that he spends helping small businesses.
As he says, the Government must lead by example on prompt
payment. They are committed to paying 90% of valid invoices
within five days and 100% within 30 days, which is absolutely
right, and the Cabinet Office’s Procurement Bill will ensure that
that happens throughout the public sector.
I recently attended a meeting with business leaders in Clacton
who worry about being hamstrung on the global stage. We are going
to be one of the highest payers of corporation tax anywhere. Does
my hon. Friend agree that, despite recent financial upheavals, we
must maintain our focus on growth and support our businesses,
both large and small, by keeping a firm lid on corporation
tax?
I can assure my hon. Friend that the Government are on the side
of small businesses and fiscal responsibly, and the introduction
of the small profits rate will help the businesses that he talks
about.
(Walsall South) (Lab)
When the Government cut the red tape and open the box, they will
find 2,400 pieces of retained EU law, so what are they going to
do to help small businesses navigate all the legislation that is
going to drop on them at the end of next year?
I welcome the hon. Lady’s conversion to the cause of easing the
red tape that is buried within EU law. It is this Government’s
objective to use our new-found freedoms to create regulations
that are appropriate for the businesses of this country and that
will help us to grow and deliver the prosperity we need for
public services.
(Ogmore) (Lab)
Some of our best SMEs are farmers and my constituency is blessed
with many farms. Farmers regularly tell me that the duplication
of forms is driving up prices and that pressures around energy
are increasing food prices, so can the Minister set out what more
meaningful support he will be giving to farmers in my
constituency and across the United Kingdom? At the minute, the
Government are found wanting.
Representing a rural constituency myself, I am familiar with the
challenges to our food producers that the hon. Member talks
about. I will ensure that the Secretary of State for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs writes to him setting out what we are
doing to ensure that we continue to have security of food supply
in this country.
(Kingston upon Hull West and
Hessle) (Lab)
High street SMEs keep telling me how unfair the current business
rate system is, and of course Labour agrees, so as we enter a
Conservative recession, will the Chancellor follow Labour’s lead
by lifting the small business rate relief for 300,000 businesses
to give our high street businesses the boost they need?
The Government have committed to review business rates, but it
would be wrong for me to pre-empt the outcome of that review here
today.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
Following the mini-Budget, the former Chancellor promised to
write to me about energy bill support for a small business in my
constituency. That response has yet to materialise. Will the
Chancellor please look into this and provide a response that I
can share with my business, Equi’s Ice Cream?
I will ensure that the case the hon. Lady raises is responded
to.
Mr Speaker
I call the Member without a tie, .
Autumn Statement: Financial Support for Local Councils
(Mansfield) (Con)
5. If he will bring forward measures in his autumn statement to
increase financial support for local councils.(902249)
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury ()
The Government are committed to ensuring that local authorities
are able to deliver vital public services. At the spending review
last year, we provided councils with the largest annual increases
in core funding in over a decade, and the Chancellor will set out
further information on the Government’s fiscal approach at the
autumn statement on Thursday.
If we are ever to have a sustainable set of council services, we
have to move money upstream into services that can help us tackle
rising demand. That is the non-statutory stuff—prevention
services in communities, such as children’s services or youth
centres, for example—but when budgets are tight, those
non-statutory services are often the first to go, which removes
councils’ ability to intervene and manage demand. With that in
mind, what can my right hon. Friend do to support councils by
ensuring that we take a long-term approach to managing those
public services rather than adopting counter-productive plans
based only on short-term budget pressures?
First, I would like to thank my hon. Friend for the four-page
letter that he sent to the Secretary of State, which I have
studied carefully. He makes some sensible suggestions and
recognises the dynamics of different pots being used effectively
within local government, and as a local authority leader himself,
he is obviously on the frontline addressing these budgets. In
last year’s spending review we put money into supporting families
and family hubs, and provided £500 million of “start for life”
investment, but he makes a sensible point and on Thursday he will
see how we are going to make that money work.
Dame (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)
My local authority of Hackney has suffered cuts of nearly 50%
over the last decade or so, but it nevertheless delivers
efficient public services. Money given to good local authorities
can be more cost-effective and better value for money for the
taxpayer, so will the Minister consider that as the Chancellor
approaches Thursday?
Absolutely, I will. Of course, it is not just about the cash
settlement; it is about the interaction with other pots of money
that are being spent, particularly in the health service, which
is at the top of my mind and the Chancellor’s mind as we
concentrate on what to do on Thursday.
Affordability of Housing: First-time Buyers
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
8. What recent assessment he has made of the affordability of
housing for first-time buyers. (902253)
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury ()
The Government are committed to helping as many first-time buyers
on to the housing ladder as possible. We are investing £11.5
billion in building more of the affordable homes that the country
needs. First-time buyers can access first-time buyer’s relief for
stamp duty land tax, which means that 90% of first-time buyers
need pay no stamp duty at all.
Mr Perkins
For so many younger people, even those on really good wages, the
idea of owning their own house is now a pipe dream. We have 1
million more people in private rented accommodation and, since
2010, 800,000 fewer under-45 households own their own home. What
is it about 12 years of Conservative government that has been so
brutal for young people with ambitions to own their own home?
The Government are very conscious and very supportive of people’s
desire to own their own home, which is why we have made so many
interventions on affordability. Underlying that is the strength
of the economy, which offers great employment prospects for those
who seek to work hard, to save and, ultimately, to purchase their
own home. We are on their side.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister, .
Mr (Wolverhampton South East) (Lab)
The consequences of September’s disastrous mini-Budget continue
to be felt, as we will see in the autumn statement on
Thursday—the third Budget statement in two months from the fourth
Chancellor since the summer, presided over by the fifth Prime
Minister in six years. Whatever they represent, it is certainly
not stability.
Mortgage rates are still well above what they were before the
mini-Budget. I have a constituent who is a first-time buyer, and
he is facing a £200-a-month increase on his mortgage quote
compared with before the mini-Budget. Why should my constituent,
and thousands like him, pay the price in their mortgage payments
for the economic damage caused by the Government’s
recklessness?
The right hon. Gentleman does this House and his constituents a
great disservice with that characterisation, which did not
mention once the tragedy of the events caused by Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine and the fact that we are coming off the back
of an extraordinary intervention to protect this country, jobs
and businesses from covid. In the future, when he characterises
the economy, he owes it to all of us to be more
proportionate.
Mr McFadden
I know that, after 12 years, the Government quite like stealing
our ideas, such as the windfall tax and the energy price freeze,
so let me offer a suggestion. High deposit demands, increased
unaffordability due to price rises and, now, rising mortgage
rates all mean it is increasingly difficult for first-time buyers
to get on the property ladder, so will the Government consider
Labour’s proposal for a mortgage guarantee scheme, as operates in
countries such as Canada, to help first-time buyers get on the
property ladder and to protect them from negative equity in times
of market turbulence? Would that not be a practical idea to stop
people being trapped in the private rented sector and to help
them buy a home of their own?
Not only is that a good idea, it is a Conservative idea that we
have already introduced. I am glad the right hon. Gentleman has
belatedly latched on to it.
(Ludlow) (Con)
With interest rates rising around the world, many others
countries are considering more imaginative ways of enabling those
with mortgages to continue to pay. Will my hon. Friend look at
the schemes operating in the United States that allow lenders to
extend the duration of a mortgage to allow payments to remain on
an even keel and, therefore, to remain more affordable for
hard-pressed households?
Yes, I will do that. My right hon. Friend is right to point to
the fact that mortgage rates have been rising throughout the
world. This Government will always be on the side of trying to
protect people with mortgages. Lenders are responsible and are
willing to extend. The advice is that people should always speak
to their lender if they have difficulties. I will certainly look
at the case he mentions.
Economic Stability
(Milton Keynes North)
(Con)
9. What steps his Department is taking to promote economic
stability. (902254)
(Newbury) (Con)
15. What steps he is taking to ensure sustainable public
finances. (902260)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer ()
Inflation is the enemy of stability and this Government have
acted decisively to bear down on it, including through the energy
price guarantee, which will take up to 5% off the headline
rate.
I was very grateful for the Chancellor’s time last week when he
listened to feedback from businesses in Milton Keynes about the
economic situation and the situation they are in. As well as
support for households, businesses, schools and councils, the
main thing that came through all the things I managed to feed
back to him last week was the need for certainty so that
businesses can invest, forecast and plan. Will the package that
he announces on Thursday contain a long enough period so that
businesses can put that planning and investment into our economy,
and we can grow our way to prosperity?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right; having run a business myself,
I know that that certainty and stability is what gives the
confidence to invest. I want to reassure him that what I talk
about on Thursday will include our plan for growth over the next
five years as well as our plan for stability. Both matter, but in
the end, as Conservative Members know, wealth is not created by
Governments—it is created by businesses.
I know that my right hon. Friend is working intensively to ensure
that the United Kingdom can meet its current spending
obligations, but can he confirm that the same prudence extends to
our national debt? Throughout the summer, my right hon. Friend
the Prime Minister said repeatedly that we cannot allow debt to
spiral and we cannot burden future generations with further debt.
Does my right hon. Friend share the Prime Minister’s commitment
and will he use his statement on Thursday to set out a pathway to
debt reduction?
My hon. Friend will know that Margaret Thatcher said that there
is nothing moral about spending money you do not have, precisely
because of what my hon. Friend says: it passes the burden on to
future generations to pay it back. Currently, our debt to GDP
ratio is about 98% and we are spending debt interest of £22
billion more in the year to date than at the same time last
year—that is more than the entire budget of the Home Office. So I
absolutely agree with her.
(Feltham and Heston)
(Lab/Co-op)
Our growth rate in the 12 years since 2010 has been just 1.4%,
which is lower than the OECD average, and behind that of the USA,
Canada and Germany. The public should have an answer to this: why
does the Chancellor think that is?
What the public know is that unemployment is the lowest for
nearly half a century under a Conservative Government.
(Rhondda) (Lab)
Energy inflation and food inflation are already making the
finances of schools and local authorities almost unsustainable,
with many in real fear of going bust in the next few months. May
I urge the Chancellor, as he is thinking about Thursday, not to
push this all down on to council tax, because many of the poorest
areas of the country have the highest level of need and the
fewest people who can afford to make additional contributions? So
it would be entirely counterproductive to do that, and the
ratchet effect could make local authorities even more
unsustainable.
I hear what the hon. Gentleman says. It is going to be a very
difficult announcement on Thursday, because we are going to be
asking everyone to contribute more. But we will be asking people
who have more to contribute even more, and that will be reflected
in our decisions on council tax and every other tax as well.
Mr Speaker
You might save something for Thursday as well. [Laughter.]
(New Forest East) (Con)
I was encouraged by the Economic Secretary’s answer to the
question from my right hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow () about mortgages. I know that
the Chancellor believes that the restoration of economic
stability is essential for mortgages to come under control in the
future, but will he confirm that he will bring in imaginative
plans to protect people who took out mortgages in good faith and
now find them unaffordable?
I can absolutely give my right hon. Friend that confirmation.
Indeed, I intend to meet a group of lenders later this month to
discuss that very issue.
Mr (East Londonderry)
(DUP)
I think people understand the difficult choices that they and
their Chancellor face come Thursday, but will the Chancellor
ensure that the small and medium-sized enterprises across the
United Kingdom that provide the backbone of our economy and
employment opportunities are not forgotten?
I can absolutely give the hon. Gentleman that undertaking. We
must remember that, for those businesses, very often the most
insidious taxes are those that they have to pay before making any
kind of profit, because those are the taxes that can make them go
under. As the Conservative party—the party of small business—we
will think very hard about their needs.
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
Governments do not create wealth, says the Chancellor. Well, this
Government certainly do not, nor did any of their
predecessors.
Can the Chancellor tell us at what point in his predecessor’s
so-called plan for growth did he realise that it was a recipe for
economic disaster? If, like everyone on the Opposition Benches,
he realised that before his predecessor had sat down, why did it
take him so long to speak up about it?
I did actually reverse most of those measures within three days
of becoming Chancellor, so, among my many failings, the one thing
I cannot be accused of doing is being slow to change things.
(North West Hampshire) (Con)
As I understand it, the Chancellor is basing his fiscal strategy
on Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts, but does he agree
that the only thing we know for certain about those forecasts is
that they are wrong?
We know that all economic forecasts are inaccurate, but that does
not mean that it is better not to have a forecast than to have
one. In defence of the OBR, I would say that its forecasts are
more accurate than the Government forecast that we used to use
before it.
HMRC Mileage Allowance Rates
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
10. If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the
potential merits of reviewing HMRC mileage allowance rates to
promote retention and recruitment in the public sector.
(902255)
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury ()
The Government keep the approved mileage allowance payment rate
under review. As the rate is set using an average, it is more
appropriate for some drivers than for others. Employers,
including public sector employers, can agree to reimburse a
different amount that better reflects their employee’s
circumstances.
Petrol costs are up by a third since January, but mileage rates
for keyworkers have now been frozen for a decade. That means, for
example, that midwives attending home births, social workers
safeguarding vulnerable children and palliative nurses providing
end-of-life care cannot afford in many cases the petrol they need
to do their jobs. Will the Minister look to increase the mileage
allowance payment rates?
The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point. I think we are all
conscious of the general increase in costs faced by keyworkers
and all our workers, but let me make this point about the
specific HMRC-approved mileage allowance payments rate. He will
appreciate that, ultimately, it is there as an administrative
convenience for both employers and employees. The employer can
choose to pay more, though of course they would have to check the
tax impact with the employee. We do sympathise about the cost of
fuel, but that is why we took that crucial measure in the spring
statement to cut the rate of duty on petrol and diesel by 5p a
litre for 12 months. That is worth £2.4 billion for everyone who
uses an internal combustion engine, whether in the public or the
private sector.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
I am sure that I am not the only Member to be concerned that, as
MPs, we get considerably more than care workers doing domiciliary
care visits. Can we try to even that out, so that some of the
lowest-paid people in the public sector get a decent
allowance?
My hon. Friend makes an important point. In my capacity as a
constituency MP, I recently met with a domiciliary care company,
and it is clear that this cost of running its vehicles is
significant. I repeat the point that these approved mileage
allowance payments are really there as an administrative
convenience, so that employers can support their staff. Employers
can pay more, but, obviously, there may be tax implications. The
crucial point is that we have cut the tax on both petrol and
diesel, and that tax cut was significant. It was only the second
time in 20 years that we cut both the main rates of petrol and
diesel.
Energy Profits Levy
(Belfast South) (SDLP)
13. Whether he plans to review the surcharge rate of the energy
profits levy. (902258)
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury ()
The energy profits levy was introduced from 26 May in response to
sharp increases in oil and gas prices and to help fund cost of
living support for UK households. It is an additional 25%
surcharge on UK oil and gas profits. The Government have
calculated that they expect the levy to raise more than £7
billion this financial year. All taxes are kept under review at
all times.
Households and businesses are being crippled by energy costs,
with support non-existent in the case of the Northern Ireland
energy scheme. At the same time, Shell has reported quarterly
profits of £8.2 billion and BP of more than £7 billion, but,
under current rules, Shell is not expected to pay any windfall
taxes in this year. It is encouraging that there is word that the
Government are intending to extend the scope of the windfall tax,
and it is not before time. Undoubtedly, there are difficult
financial decisions to be taken, but this is not one of them.
When even Shell is saying that this tax should be embraced, we
know that the policy is in the wrong place. Will the Chancellor
commit to increasing the scope of the levy and to closing
loopholes on timing, share buybacks and the investment allowances
that allow tax to be avoided by diverting profit into polluting
and unsustainable fuels?
To be clear, the levy is an additional 25% surcharge on UK oil
and gas profits on top of the existing 40% headline rate of tax,
taking the combined rate of tax on those profits to 65%. The hon.
Lady is right that the levy contributes to the support that will
be going out to Northern Ireland; it will come in a month later,
but will be backdated to 1 October, and it will include
businesses as well as households.
Floating Offshore Wind
(Aberavon) (Lab)
14. What fiscal steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to
support the development of floating offshore wind. (902259)
(Bath) (LD)
21. What fiscal steps the Government is taking to support the
development of floating offshore wind. (902267)
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury ()
We are committed to developing floating offshore wind to support
our energy security and net zero ambitions. The contracts for
difference scheme has already supported the first-of-its-kind
TwinHub project off the coast of Cornwall, which will deliver
enough energy to power 45,000 homes. The floating offshore wind
demonstration programme provided £31 million in grant funding to
support many other new innovative projects.
Floating offshore wind has the potential to transform the economy
and jobs market in my Aberavon constituency and across south
Wales, but it will only happen if floating offshore wind
substructures and other components are manufactured and assembled
locally. There are two concerns: first, the Crown Estate is
putting in place leasing criteria that seem to be about the
highest bidder rather than maximising local value and content,
and secondly, there are rumours flying around that the Government
may be cancelling the floating offshore wind manufacturing
investment scheme, which will be fundamental to facilitating the
whole programme. Will the Minister confirm that he will urge
Crown Estates to maximise local content in the criteria and that
the Government are 100% committed to the FLOWMIS programme?
The hon. Gentleman is a staunch campaigner for his constituency’s
ability to take advantage of this exciting new technology, and I
pay tribute to him for that. As he knows, the Crown Estate works
independently to manage the seabed and has an important role in
the deployment of floating offshore wind. Its approach for the 4
GW leasing opportunity in the Celtic sea is focused on ensuring
the development of this new technology market in the UK as
quickly as possible. But, to be clear—cutting to his point about
content—the Crown Estate has announced that for the first time it
is reforming the tender process to consider supply chain plans,
sending a clear signal to the market that UK content is
important.
Many renewable energy projects are limited by a lack of grid
capacity. We have more wind farms ready for investment in the
coming decade than the rest of the world, but the grid is not
ready. For future offshore wind projects, who will be paying for
the grid connections?
This issue has certainly captured the imagination in East Anglia,
where the hon. Lady may be aware that there are certain proposals
to bring forward improvements in the grid, although that is
ultimately the responsibility of National Grid. We need to
address the grid, but I hope she will agree that the country has
already made enormous progress in increasing capacity from
offshore wind. She may be aware that in 2011 renewables made up
just 9% of our electricity; that figure is now over 40%.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
Floating offshore wind is emerging as a major new industry, both
globally and for us in the UK, in places such as the Celtic sea.
The key question for us is how much of the real economic value of
that new industry stays here in the UK. To that end, I encourage
my hon. Friend to meet Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Ministers and the Crown Estate, to ensure that the leasing rounds
are properly structured and that the contracts for difference
process and other policy tools, such as the FLOWMIS port funding
and the freeport policy hopefully coming to south Wales, are all
properly aligned to deliver British content.
I repeat the point I made to the hon. Member for Aberavon () about content. I hope that
addresses some of my right hon. Friend’s concerns, but I am more
than happy to meet him first and then feed back to other
Ministers and see what more we can do. He is absolutely right
that this is an extraordinarily positive opportunity and, if we
seize it, it will deliver for parts of our country such as his
constituency.
(Ynys Môn) (Con)
The BP Mona wind farm, 20 miles off the coast of Anglesey, will
generate 1.5 GW of electricity and provide more than 1,500
construction jobs and £3.5 billion of investment in an area
desperately in need of good-quality jobs. Will the Minister urge
his colleagues in the Senedd to invest in the Holyhead breakwater
so that BP Mona can move the project forward, and will he confirm
that investment in Holyhead port is the responsibility of the
Welsh Government, not the UK Government?
I cannot think of a colleague who champions energy investment in
their constituency quite as much as my hon. Friend. I can confirm
that the port of Holyhead is a very important part of the wider
transport and economic infrastructure of the UK. I know that the
Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security has written to her
and specified quite clearly whose responsibility that is, and she
is absolutely correct.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister, .
(Erith and Thamesmead)
(Lab)
The Government allow offshore wind but are still banning onshore
wind. Ending the ban would give us a vital tool to reach net
zero, make Britain a clean energy superpower, and open up new
investment and growth opportunities. Keeping the onshore wind ban
will make energy bills £16 billion higher between now and 2030.
Why on earth are Ministers undermining green growth and cheaper
energy by maintaining the self-defeating ban on onshore wind?
The Government are committed to delivering cheaper, cleaner and
more secure power. That is why we included onshore wind in the
latest auction round for contracts for difference, which have
delivered a 50% technology cost reduction since 2015. The
Government recognise the range of community views on onshore
wind, and it is important that we strike the right balance
between community interests and securing a clean, green energy
system for the future. That is why we have committed to
consulting on developing local partnerships for supportive
communities in England who wish to host new onshore wind
infrastructure.
Topical Questions
(Bethnal Green and Bow)
(Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(902281)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer ()
I will be speaking for rather a long time on Thursday—
Mr Speaker
That is subject to agreement as well.
May I start again and say that, subject to your agreement, Mr
Speaker, I may be talking for rather a long time on Thursday, so
I will be brief today? I will just say that, despite the
difficulty of the package I will be announcing, I will sadly not
be drinking any whisky as I do so.
I thank the Chancellor for the work he is doing and congratulate
him on his new post. We hope that he lasts the week, or maybe the
fortnight. The Government scandalously allowed organised
criminals and fraudsters to take billions of pounds of public
money through covid loan fraud as a result of the lack of proper
checks. Estimates suggest that that has cost taxpayers £33
billion. Why should hardworking people pay for the Prime
Minister’s fraud failures when he was Chancellor, and for the
mini-Budget fiasco of the former Prime Minister, the right hon.
Member for South West Norfolk (), who crashed the—
Mr Speaker
Order. These are topical questions and are meant to be brief.
Of course, there are lessons to be learned about the way those
schemes were administered, but I am very proud that unemployment
remains at a 50-year low because of the decisions that the Prime
Minister took on the furlough scheme and Government-backed loans.
That was the right thing to do.
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con)
I regularly visit small businesses and entrepreneurs across my
constituency of Bexleyheath and Crayford. They are the backbone
of our local economy, but like families, they have been badly hit
by the cost of living. Will my right hon. Friend reassure me that
this Government will do all they can to help small businesses
across the country to thrive?
That is what Conservatives are all about so I am happy to give
him that assurance. It is not just words; it is action: the
halving of business rates for most retail, hospitality and
leisure businesses; the freezing of the multiplier on business
rates; the furlough scheme; the Government-backed loans and the
energy price support that we are giving businesses. All that is
because this Government back business.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Chancellor, .
(Leeds West) (Lab)
Today’s numbers show that real wages are down £1,000 a year. The
Chancellor himself has admitted that the NHS is on the brink of
collapse, and he is preparing for more stealth taxes on working
people later this week. Getting our economy firing on all
cylinders is essential for fixing this mess, so will the
Chancellor tell the House where the UK is projected to finish in
OECD growth rates over the next year?
May I say what a pleasure it is to do my first questions session
with the right hon. Lady? I will very happily tell her about the
international situation. Inflation is higher in Germany, the
Netherlands, the eurozone and Italy. Our growth forecasts are
falling less than the forecasts in Germany. Interest rates since
the pandemic have gone up less here than in America, Canada and
New Zealand.
“Despite what some…suggest, the recession has not been restricted
to the UK, nor did it begin here.”—[Official Report, 24 March
2010; Vol. 508, c. 249.]
Those are not my words, but those of in 2010. If the right hon.
Lady wants to be the next Chancellor, she should listen to the
last Labour Chancellor.
It would be nice if the Chancellor tried to answer some of the
questions.
Out of 38 advanced OECD economies, the UK is forecast to finish
last. That is 38th out of 38. All industrialised economies have
had to face covid and the consequences of Russia’s illegal war,
yet our country is trailing behind because of Conservative
choices and Conservative failure. There is an alternative. Why
does not the Chancellor match Labour’s ambitions for British
industries in hydrogen, insulation, carbon capture, solar,
nuclear and wind power to create new jobs here in Britain?
We will have many exchanges, so I ask the hon. Lady, when she
picks a statistic about next year’s growth, not to do so too
selectively because this year, we have the fastest growth in the
G7. Since 2010, we have had the third highest growth rate in the
G7, and we have the lowest unemployment for more than 40 years.
That is because Conservatives take the difficult decisions that
are necessary to make our economy thrive.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
T4. Given that we have an energy crisis, will the Government
allow onshore wind where communities want it, require built-in
photovoltaics, where they will work, on new homes, and allow
solar farms on 3b land?(902284)
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury ()
Further to my previous answer, the Government are serious about
delivering cheaper, cleaner and more secure power. That is why we
included onshore wind and solar in the latest contracts for
difference auction round, and we will include them in future
rounds. The Government recognise the range of community views on
onshore wind and the need the prioritise our most productive
farmland for food production. It is important that the Government
strike the right balance between community interests, food
security and securing a clean, green energy system for the
future. That is why the planning system is designed to take
account of those issues.
Mr Speaker
I call SNP spokesperson, .
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Austerity is a damaging Tory political
choice, which is responsible for 330,000 excess deaths. A
responsible and compassionate Government would explore all
options to avoid it. Will the Chancellor consider taxing share
buy-backs, as the US and Canada have done? The Institute for
Public Policy Research and Common Wealth have pointed out that
oil and gas, financial services and other companies have
funnelled their mega-profits into share buy-backs. Does the
Chancellor agree that that is inexcusable when he wants to hike
taxes on working people and slash public services?
The hon. Member had better listen to what we say on Thursday
before she jumps to conclusions. We will approach the difficult
situation that we face progressively. We will ask those who have
more to give more. I advise her not to talk down the financial
services and energy industries, which employ thousands of people
in Scotland.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
T6. As my right hon. Friend knows, Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine
has driven up energy prices across the world. The Government were
therefore right to support households throughout the country.
What is the long-term plan to reduce our dependence on gas so
that taxpayers do not have to subsidise energy bills?(902286)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to point to the challenge of
the past two years. Nationally, we are spending £140 billion more
on energy. That is almost like supporting an entire second NHS.
We have to have a long-term solution that is about energy
independence and energy efficiency.
(Ceredigion) (PC)
T2. The Chancellor will be aware of concerns about the adequacy
of the £100 payment that the Government have proposed to support
off-grid households with the cost of their heating. It is equally
concerning that we still await details of when and how it will be
paid, as well as the support that will be made available to
off-grid businesses. When will the Government publish that
information?(902282)
Like the hon. Gentleman, I represent a rural constituency, where
probably the majority of households use heating oil. As he knows,
the alternative fuel payment will ensure that all households that
do not benefit from the energy price guarantee receive support
for the cost of the fuel they use. We are currently consulting
the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on
the timing and delivery mechanism for the alternative fuel
payment. We are committed to delivering it this winter.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
T10. FairFuelUK’s latest survey of 17,000 motorists and hauliers
shows that they continue to be punished by crippling and
needlessly high fuel taxation, from which the Treasury has
benefited to the tune of £3 billion. That is why I am backing the
campaign of The Sun and FairFuelUK to keep the fuel duty cut at
the very least. Does the Chancellor agree?(902290)
My hon. Friend, like The Sun newspaper, is a champion of
motorists, hauliers and all those in his constituency who rely on
petrol and diesel vehicles for their—[Interruption.] Opposition
Members laugh, but my hon. Friend is standing up for his
constituents and doing the right thing. He is absolutely right to
highlight the huge tax cut we put in place in the spring
statement, worth £2.4 billion, through 5p a litre off the duty
rate on petrol and diesel for 12 months. Of course, I cannot make
fiscal decisions at the Dispatch Box, but we do keep these
matters under review.
Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab)
T5. Earlier this year, Bradford submitted a levelling-up fund
bid—the only bid developed from the grassroots up by local
community groups—to build three new community-led health centres
that would deliver transformational benefits for Bradford and act
to reverse the crippling health inequalities that we face. Ahead
of the announcement on Thursday, does the Chancellor see that if
he does not back grassroots, community-led transformational
projects like this, it is clear that the Government’s
levelling-up agenda is truly dead?(902285)
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury ()
The Government are completely committed to levelling up. As the
hon. Gentleman knows, there is a second round of bids for the
levelling-up fund. The results will be announced in due course,
but he has made a very effective representation on behalf of his
constituents and local authority.
(Harrow East) (Con)
As chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on personal
banking and fairer financial services, I have been in protracted
correspondence with the Financial Conduct Authority about the
Blackmore Bond scandal. Despite receiving more than 30 complaints
and a whistleblower producing evidence, the FCA refused to
investigate. I realise that it predates my hon. Friend’s
appointment, but will he investigate this and force the FCA to
take action?
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury ()
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this case. It was, sadly,
outside the FCA perimeter, but I would be happy to meet him,
because I understand that it raises important issues for him and
his constituents.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
T7. It is not just individual mortgage payers who are impacted by
increasing borrowing costs; that is a particular problem for
housing associations such as Parkhead Housing Association, which
I spoke to this morning. Previously, housing associations were
able to borrow at fixed rates of 25 and 30 years, but that has
been reduced. Would the Chancellor be willing to meet me, to look
at how we can pursue this with lenders, to ensure that we do not
stifle competition when it comes to building housing association
properties?(902287)
We are looking carefully at that issue, and I would be happy for
the hon. Gentleman to meet one of my Ministers.
(Rother Valley)
(Con)
I welcomed the Chancellor’s predecessor to Rother Valley in the
summer, to show him Dinnington high street and the money that was
needed to upgrade it. He agreed to meet me further about
levelling up. Will the Chancellor come to Rother Valley and
Dinnington high street to see the levelling-up fund money that we
need when the bid is in, and will he look kindly on our bid and
make sure the whole of Rother Valley is levelled up?
I am aware of my hon. Friend’s outstanding bid, and I would be
happy to visit him to discuss the needs of his community and all
the work he has done over the last couple of years to stand up
for his constituents and secure investment in his community.
(Ealing, Southall)
(Lab)
T8. My constituent registered with a regulated firm and
invested in the financial product that an FCA-regulated broker
recommended. My constituent and her father both lost money on the
fraudulent product that the broker recommended. Does the Minister
agree that the FCA should step in and support victims of scams,
and will he empower and instruct the FCA and other regulators to
be more aggressive in their support of the defrauded?(902288)
I will happily meet the hon. Member to understand more details of
the case. It is important that the FCA provides protection for
consumers. That is one of the objectives of the Financial
Services and Markets Bill, which is currently going through
Parliament.
(West Bromwich East)
(Con)
OnSide’s youth centres do an incredible job of transforming
people’s lives, and I think young people in my constituency
deserve that opportunity too. Will the Chancellor support my
calls for the levelling-up fund to be spent on that important
project in West Bromwich?
I am aware of the outstanding bid from my hon. Friend’s
constituency. I cannot reveal the outcome of the deliberations on
that competitive process, but I will be looking carefully at her
bid and liaising with other Ministers on the outcome of that
round.
(Rotherham) (Lab)
T9. Last week, over 100,000 civil servants from the Public and
Commercial Services Union voted to take industrial action
following attacks on their jobs. For the first time ever, the
Royal College of Nursing has voted to strike over pay. Lecturers,
health workers, teachers, postal and transport workers—all people
who aim to support this country—are suffering because of the cost
of living crisis and the former Prime Minister’s £30 billion
ideological rant. The autumn statement needs to show that working
people are being listened to. Will it do that, or will it just
punish them?(902289)
I believe it will do that, because the cost of living crisis is
at the top of our minds. We recognise the hard work that public
servants do in a whole range of sectors and, as I know, with my
background, in the health service as well. We must tread a fine
line, however, because if we give inflation-busting pay awards to
people who may deserve them and may be working extremely hard,
that will fuel further inflation. We need to get the right
long-term solution that brings down the root cause of people’s
anger, which is over-high inflation.
(North East Bedfordshire)
(Con)
The Bedford to Cambridge section of East West Rail is rated
“unachievable” by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and a
“waste of taxpayers’ money” by the Business Secretary, and growth
in the Ox-Cam arc does not depend on it. Can the Chancellor use
the autumn statement to finally clear the uncertainty around this
deeply flawed project?
I paid tribute to my hon. Friend’s huge business experience and
his time at the Treasury on Second Reading of the UK
Infrastructure Bank Bill. Perhaps we should both read the report
that my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes South () referred to earlier, because
as my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire () knows, we strongly support
the growth potential of the Ox-Cam arc. After all, that part of
the country is internationally competitive, so it is the sort of
place that we need to grow if we are to compete
internationally.
(East Dunbartonshire)
(SNP)
Government advice to sit in the shade is not enough to protect
our skin. Sunscreen products need to be more affordable. Will the
Minister work with me and support my VAT Burn campaign to save
the NHS money, keep more cash in our constituents’ pockets and
help to protect our skin from melanoma and non-melanoma
cancers?
The Financial Secretary to the Treasury ()
I thank the hon. Lady for her question. The Government received
about £143 billion in the last financial year from value added
tax, which helps to pay for the services that we all care about,
such as the national health service, so strict restrictions have
been placed on the goods that can be exempted from VAT. I
understand her concerns, however, and I would be happy to meet
her to discuss what other forms of support we can provide. For
example, we can commend Tesco, which has taken the decision not
to charge VAT on its products.
(Buckingham) (Con)
The noble in the other place has
estimated that scrapping HS2 would save the British taxpayer £147
billion—more pessimistic estimates have the saving at £100
billion. With a day of difficult decisions coming up on Thursday,
surely scrapping HS2 is an easy one?
My hon. Friend is consistent on this point. We are always keen to
hear savings suggestions from colleagues, but to be clear, HS2 is
a long-term investment that will bring our biggest cities closer
together and boost productivity. It currently supports 29,000
jobs and will create 2,000 apprenticeships. Through better
connecting the country, it will open up new employment and
leisure opportunities for millions of people.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
The Chancellor just mentioned my good friend Lord . He should also look at
the recent speech made in Huddersfield by another former
Chancellor, Sir John Major. His analysis of what has happened to
our economy since the Conservatives took over in 2010 is an
absolute masterclass in what has gone wrong and what needs to be
put right. Will the Chancellor read it and think about it before
Thursday?
I always listen very carefully to anything that Sir John Major
says. I know that he took difficult decisions that put the
economy in excellent shape. The one thing that I do not want to
do is bequeath it to a Labour Government.
(Gainsborough) (Con)
As the Chancellor prepares for his autumn statement, will he
remember the good voters of middle England—people who have
rarely, if ever, been on benefits and who have worked all their
lives for their mortgage and pension pot? They fear that more and
more of them will be dragged into becoming higher rate taxpayers
and that their pension pot will be attacked so that the state can
get larger and more can be spent on those on benefits.
Absolutely. I say to my right hon. Friend that it is the good
voters of middle England who want us to be a country that pays
its way, that does not borrow at the expense of future
generations, and that can be trusted when it comes to sound
money. That is what we will deliver.
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(SNP)
Skyrocketing inflation, much of it caused by calamities on the
Government Benches, means that the Scottish Government’s annual
budget is worth up to £900 million less than it was just a few
weeks ago. When will the UK Government devolve more borrowing
powers to Scotland, so we can give the extra, desperately needed
assistance to those struggling the most in our country?
I spoke about such matters with Jon Swinney, in my second
conversation with him since appointment three weeks ago, last
evening. We discussed a range of matters, and I will always try
to be as constructive as I can to find ways forward when the
whole of the United Kingdom faces the inflationary scourge
everywhere.
(New Forest East) (Con)
Given that we both agree on the need for a substantial increase
in defence spending, does the Chancellor accept that any
immediate, necessary freeze on it should not prejudice the goal
of 3% of GDP in the medium term?
Let me just say to my right hon. Friend that he and I both agree
on the vital responsibility of any Government to defend their
shores and their peoples, and we are committed to doing what it
takes to make sure we do that.
(Brighton, Pavilion)
(Green)
In a letter to the Chancellor last week, , the chair of the Climate Change
Committee, said clearly that demand reduction is “now the biggest
gap” in UK energy policy. Will Thursday’s autumn statement
include an emergency investment of at least £3.6 billion over the
course of this Parliament, so we can finally roll out the
long-awaited and very overdue home insulation programme that this
country needs?
speaks extremely wisely on
environmental and climate change issues, and we would always take
what he says with the utmost seriousness.
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