Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts
Tuesday 7th May 2024

(1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Laura Trott Portrait Laura Trott
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My hon. Friend is, as ever, a brilliant advocate for his local area. I note that West Dorset is getting £4.4 million from the UK shared prosperity fund, and the wider Dorset area is benefiting from a range of other significant investments, including £9.7 million from the future high streets fund, but I am happy to meet him to discuss the matter further.

Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
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Like the hon. Member for West Dorset (Chris Loder), I represent a rural constituency. Strangford is the reason I am here, and I want to represent it well. What steps will the Minister take to ensure that all updates to and volumes of the Green Book apply to Northern Ireland as well as to other areas across this great nation?

Laura Trott Portrait Laura Trott
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The hon. Gentleman raises an excellent point—one that I will be discussing with the Northern Ireland Finance Minister in a couple of weeks.

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Jeremy Hunt Portrait Jeremy Hunt
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May I say what a pleasure it is to be asked a question by my hon. Friend? I think this is the first time it has happened since he has been back. There is no more formidable a champion for Romford. He speaks about business rates, and we have indeed been doing what we can to bring them down at every fiscal event.

Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
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What steps have been taken to support pensioners to know what benefits they are possibly entitled to? I understand that 1.4 million people access pension credit, but a great many more are entitled to it.