Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help increase economic growth in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The government’s priority mission is to deliver strong, secure and sustainable economic growth to boost living standards in every part of the UK. The Spending Review marked a key step in the growth mission, allocating substantial new capital investment to ensure growth is felt across the country. This investment will be further bolstered in the coming months by other reforms, building on the Industrial Strategy and the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy announced last month.

Hertfordshire will receive £38 million in Local Transport Grant funding enabling local authorities to deliver transport improvements including more zero emission buses, cycleways, accessibility and congestion improvement measures. This will deliver a four-fold increase in funding in 2029-30 compared to 2024-25.

At Autumn Budget, the Government protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. The Government also froze the small businesses multiplier for 2025-26, and extended the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) business rates relief for 1-year at 40% (up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business).

The Government has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations to increase the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates, which balance the impacts on business, competitiveness of the labour market and wider economy, as well as taking into account the cost of living.