Oral Answers to Questions

Susan Murray Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend captures the choice before us as a country: we can either give in to division or come together as a country and renew our country. This is National Hate Crime Awareness Week, and in the past fortnight we have seen the horrific terror atrocity in Manchester and a despicable arson attack on the mosque in Peacehaven. I want to be clear as Prime Minister: I am proud to lead and to serve this beautiful, tolerant and diverse country. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.

[Susan Murray (Mid Dunbartonshire) (LD)]

Q9. Calithea Studios in Mid Dunbartonshire is a prime example of a business doing everything the Government ask. The owner of this beauty salon and her three employees each earn less than £30,000 a year, yet the business will pay the Government over £36,000 for the year in VAT, employer’s national insurance and pension contributions. Does the Prime Minister think it is fair that the hard-working owner, who is providing jobs and training on the high street, contributes more to the Exchequer than she earns in a year? Does he believe this encourages entrepreneurship, which is important for economic growth and local jobs?