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Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Costs
Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact assessment the Government has conducted of the effect of the increased cost associated with motoring expenditure on low income families.

Answered by Simon Clarke

As the global economy recovers, many economies are experiencing high inflation, in part due to pressures from rising energy prices and disruptions to global supply chains. These global pressures are the main driver of higher inflation in the UK.

We understand the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people and low-income families. The government is providing support worth over £20 billion this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills.


Written Question
Travel: Costs
Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact assessment his Department has made of the effect of the cost of travel on low income families.

Answered by Simon Clarke

As the global economy recovers, many economies are experiencing high inflation, in part due to pressures from rising energy prices and disruptions to global supply chains. These global pressures are the main driver of higher inflation in the UK.

We understand the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people and low-income families. The government is providing support worth over £20 billion this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills.


Written Question
Clothing: Prices
Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of clothing and footwear price increases on low income families.

Answered by Simon Clarke

As the global economy recovers, many economies are experiencing high inflation, in part due to pressures from rising energy prices and disruptions to global supply chains. These global pressures are the main driver of higher inflation in the UK.

We understand the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people and low-income families. The government is providing support worth over £20 billion this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills.


Written Question
Consumer Goods: Prices
Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the increase in household goods prices on families on a low income.

Answered by Simon Clarke

As the global economy recovers, many economies are experiencing high inflation, in part due to pressures from rising energy prices and disruptions to global supply chains. These global pressures are the main driver of higher inflation in the UK.

We understand the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people and low-income families. The government is providing support worth over £20 billion this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 01 Feb 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"21. If he will offer further support to people struggling with the rise in the cost of living. ..."
Ian Lavery - View Speech

View all Ian Lavery (Lab - Blyth and Ashington) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 01 Feb 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"It is not good enough to simply say that work lifts people out of poverty when we know that millions of people up and down this country with one job, two jobs or three jobs are still not even making ends meet. The universal credit cut is having a devastating …..."
Ian Lavery - View Speech

View all Ian Lavery (Lab - Blyth and Ashington) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 01 Feb 2022
Tackling Fraud and Preventing Government Waste

"It is quite simple really: the Tories cannot be trusted with taxpayers’ money. Since we have been in the Chamber, headlines in the national news have described as jaw-dropping the revelations in the Department of Health and Social Care annual report. Buried on page 199 is a suggestion that there …..."
Ian Lavery - View Speech

View all Ian Lavery (Lab - Blyth and Ashington) contributions to the debate on: Tackling Fraud and Preventing Government Waste

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 01 Feb 2022
Tackling Fraud and Preventing Government Waste

"I fully agree. What could the Government have used £8.7 billion for? A new hospital in my hon. Friend’s constituency? Other hospitals and clinics? Looking after the 6 million people who are still on the NHS waiting list as we sit in this Chamber?

That loss is in addition to …..."

Ian Lavery - View Speech

View all Ian Lavery (Lab - Blyth and Ashington) contributions to the debate on: Tackling Fraud and Preventing Government Waste

Written Question
Cost of Living: Disability
Tuesday 1st February 2022

Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he is providing to people with disabilities to help them cope with the rising cost of living.

Answered by Simon Clarke

The government is forecast to spend over £58 billion in 21/22 on benefits to support disabled people in Great Britain. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is the government’s primary means of supporting working-age adults with the extra costs arising from having a disability and is paid regardless of income and irrespective of whether someone is in work. The government will spend over £12.2 billion to support 2.1 million people on PIP in 21/22. Those who have a disability or health condition which limits their ability to work can get additional support through Universal Credit (UC) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). For those with limited capability for work or work-related activity, this includes an additional component in UC, worth £79.30 per week.

The government is also providing support worth around £12 billion this financial year and next to help with the cost of living. This includes the £500 million Household Support Fund to help vulnerable households with costs for essentials such as energy bills, food, clothing, and utilities over the winter. The Household Support Fund adds to the support already in place to help those on low incomes with the cost of living, including:

  • £140 million in 2021-22 for Discretionary Housing Payments;
  • £670 million in 2021-22 for local authorities to support households struggling with their council tax bills;
  • £200m each year of the Spending Review to continue the Holiday Activities and Food programme; and
  • increasing the value of Healthy Start vouchers.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 11 Jan 2022
Downing Street Garden Event

"The Paymaster General has been given an unenviable task this morning—he really, really has—but perhaps he could use his experience as a former Solicitor General and Attorney General to explain to the House what advice he would give to a hypothetical Prime Minister: someone who has perhaps lied to the …..."
Ian Lavery - View Speech

View all Ian Lavery (Lab - Blyth and Ashington) contributions to the debate on: Downing Street Garden Event