Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 25 Nov 2025
Forthcoming Fiscal Changes
"My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Fox, simply asked whether the Minister could rule out doing harm in the Budget—he did not ask about lots of specific measures—so let me ask him again: can he just rule out the Budget doing harm to British business?..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 18 Nov 2025
Budget: Press Briefings
"My Lords, it is not good enough for the Minister to talk just about speculation, as his colleague did in the House of Commons. This comment was driven, first, by the Chancellor’s speech, which was not about economic policy but specifically about the Budget, and then by the interview that …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 17 Oct 2022
Economic Update
"I thank the Chancellor for his robust defence of Conservative economic policy over the last 12 years. More of that, please! My inner chartered accountant cannot but welcome the fact that he has reassured me that it is the Treasury’s job—its essential task—to ensure that the sums add up.
May …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 11 Oct 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"T9. The Chancellor has said that he will set out a fully costed plan to get debt falling as a proportion of GDP, and he has confirmed at the Dispatch Box that that will be done in just under three weeks’ time. This morning’s Institute for Fiscal Studies report suggested …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 28 Jun 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"One of the really insidious effects of inflation is that it imposes more costs on the poorest in society. What steps will the Chancellor take to make sure not just that we protect people today, but that inflation expectations are not locked in, locking in high inflation for the future, …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Written Question
Monday 27th June 2022
Asked by:
Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his oral statement of 26 May 2022 on Economy Update, Official report, column 451, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of state for (a) Work and Pensions and (b) Health and Social Care on the impact of the cost of living payment on benefit entitlement and social care.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Government understands the challenge of global inflationary pressures on the cost of living.
That is why we are providing over £15bn of additional support targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package builds on the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.
The Government is supporting over 8 million households across the UK in receipt of means tested benefits with a one-off Cost of Living Payment of £650, paid in two instalments. In addition to this, the government is supporting disabled people with the particular extra costs they will face, with 6 million people who receive non-means tested disability benefits receiving a one-off disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. Over eight million pensioner households will receive an extra one-off £300 this year to help them cover the rising cost of energy this winter.
These payments will be disregarded for tax and benefit purposes, so will not affect claimants’ benefit entitlements.
The Department of Health and Social Care is currently undertaking work to determine the interaction between the new cost of living payments and financial assessments for care costs.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 17 May 2022
Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases
"I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned jobs, particularly as today unemployment has fallen to its lowest level. The number of people out of work is now lower than the number of vacancies in the economy. He has just made an extraordinary number of unfunded spending commitments at …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Mar 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"The impact on energy prices of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions will inevitably mean that Britain is poorer. There is nothing that we can do about that overall, but we can help to smooth the impact. I welcome the announcement this morning that there are 275,000 extra …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 03 Feb 2022
Economic Update
"First, I thank the Chancellor for coming to the House to make his statement before he does a press conference. That is the right order of priorities. I also thank him for engaging with Conservative colleagues, listening to their concerns and responding to them in his statement. Finally, may I …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 01 Feb 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"I welcome the Chancellor’s clear confirmation last week that, far from writing off any of that money, the Government are going after everyone who has claimed it fraudulently. However, it is important to remember the context. The businesses in my constituency know the jobs that were saved by the rapid …..."Lord Harper - View Speech
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