Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Russell Brown Excerpts
Tuesday 11th March 2014

(10 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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We think the policy will have a significant impact. That is also the view of business organisations, which have warmly welcomed it. With the abolition of employer NICs for under-21s, it will become more than £500 cheaper to employ an under 21-year-old earning £12,000 a year, and more than £1,000 cheaper to employ an under 21-year-old earning £16,000 a year. Of course, employment is driven by a range of factors, but the wide welcome the measure has had suggests it will have a significant impact on employment.

Russell Brown Portrait Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries and Galloway) (Lab)
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But surely the Minister recognises that, in areas such as mine—a rural part of Scotland like the one he represents—it is sometimes much more difficult, so the Government should make more effort to ensure that absolutely no one is left without a job opportunity.