Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Hopkins Excerpts

Tuesday 6th February 2024 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Hunt]

I have been talking with my hon. Friend about these issues recently. In fact, we were discussing increasing the VAT threshold only last night—such are the interesting evenings I have in this job! We will look seriously and carefully at any measures that help small businesses. They are the lifeblood of the country.

[Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the impact of increases in the cost of living on living standards.

[Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP)]

18. What steps his Department is taking to support households with the cost of living.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Laura Trott)]

The Government stand by households, with one of Europe’s largest support packages, worth on average £3,700 per UK household, but we all know that the key to reducing cost of living pressures is to bring down inflation, which we have more than halved, delivering on the Prime Minister’s promise.

[Rachel Hopkins]

Families in Luton and Bedfordshire, and indeed the rest of the country, are worse off because of 14 years of economic chaos and incompetence under the Conservatives. Does the Minister concede that, even if the Government’s inflation target is met, families will still be paying £300 a month more for their household bills than they were just 18 months ago?

[Laura Trott]

Fourteen years of the Conservatives has halved unemployment and increased employment by 4 million. Crucially, poverty is down: we have 1.7 million fewer people in poverty now than in 2010, including 400,000 children and 200,000 pensioners. That is a legacy to be proud of.