Commons Chamber

Monday 2nd November 2026

(began 1 day, 9 hours ago)

Share Debate
Watch Live
Skip to latest contribution
This debate has concluded
14:51
14:51
14:51
14:52
Matthew Pennycook Portrait Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Greenwich and Woolwich, Labour)
-
-
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I know that his council question. I know that his council wants to play its full part in our house building ambitions. He will know that the government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand. While they will know that I can't express an opinion on specific plans or schemes for the reasons I know he'll appreciate, my understanding is that Chesterfield Borough Council foresaw the site in question, coming forward later in the plan period and in light of the Dft's decision in respect of that particular transport upgrade, it may be that the authority needs to

**** Possible New Speaker ****

look again at the allocation when developing their next local plan, but I'm happy to discuss the matter with him further. Chris Ward. Question number six.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Chris Ward. Question number six. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Mr. speaker, the government is committed to improving protections for renters and owners of park for renters and owners of park homes. On the 5th of March this year, my department published a call for evidence with a view to establishing the rationale for the required payment of a commission of up to 10% of the sale price. When a park home is sold. We continue to park home is sold. We continue to analyse the feedback received. I hope to be able to publish a detailed summary of responses in the near future, and as per the commitments I've previously given, we will set out the government's final position on this matter by the end of the year.
14:53
14:53
14:54
14:55
14:55
14:55
14:55
14:56
14:57
14:57
14:57
14:58
14:58
14:59
14:59
15:00
15:00
15:00
15:01
15:01
15:02
15:02
15:03
15:03
15:04
15:04
15:05
15:05
15:05
None Portrait Q11. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of powers available to councils to stop the opening of vape and barber shops on high streets. (901828)
-

Number 11, Mr. Speaker. >> Thank you. We're giving local leaders and communities more control over their high street mix of shops and their high streets, through the hope on the high street
15:05
15:06
15:07
15:07
15:08
15:08
15:09
15:09
15:10
15:11
15:11
15:12
15:12
15:12
15:13
15:13
15:14
15:15
15:15
15:16
15:16
15:16
15:17
15:17
15:17
15:18
15:18
15:18
15:19
15:19
15:20
15:20
15:20
15:21
15:21
15:22
15:22
15:22
15:23
15:23
15:23
15:24
15:24
15:24
15:24
15:25
15:25
15:26
15:26
15:27
15:27
15:27
15:28
15:28
15:29
15:29
15:29
15:30
15:30
15:30
15:31
15:31
15:32
15:32
15:33
15:33
15:34
15:34
15:35
15:35
15:35
15:36
15:36
15:36
15:36
15:37
15:37
15:37
15:38
15:38
15:39
15:39
15:40
15:40
15:40
15:40
15:41
15:41
15:41
15:41
15:42
15:42
15:42
15:43
15:43
15:43
15:44
15:44
15:44
15:45
15:45
15:46
15:46
15:46
15:47
15:47
15:47
Shabana Mahmood Portrait Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood KC MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Ladywood, Labour)
-
-
earned settlement. A little over a month ago at Labour Party conference, I promised that we would adopt a policy on this issue would adopt a policy on this issue that is guided above all by fairness, fairness towards those who come here legally and play their part, and fairness towards British citizens already here who British citizens already here who should not be asked to bear a greater burden. Mr. speaker, the question of fairness matters to me question of fairness matters to me because it matters to my family. Over 50 years ago, my parents came to this country from rural Kashmir.

 They came here knowing one thing above all else, that they would be treated fairly here. They came from a place where power was often arbitrary and where the dice were always loaded. They came to this country because they knew we do things differently here and that we value, above all else, fair play. Mr. speaker, it is my responsibility to ensure that our migration system lives up to that ideal. I believe doing so depends upon a contract between those who come and those already here. This country welcomes those who seek a new and better life within it.

But I also know that there is an expectation of those who do that. They will play their part, contribute to their community, and become a part of our national life. I do not think this despite being a Labour politician. I think this because I am a Labour politician. If we are to ask our fellow citizens to buy into a system of shared taxation and universal public services, they must know that everyone is playing their part. Solidarity is the precondition for social justice. Creating a fair migration system demands reform to settlement. The ability to live in this country forever.

Settlement confirms confers some of the most valuable rights that this country can offer. At settlement, a migrant receives the right to free education, our NHS and should they fall upon it, the welfare state. Until now, settlement rights have come at five years, almost exclusively as a result of time spent in this country. It has therefore been a right accrued with little expectation of responsibility. I do not believe this represents true fairness. Instead, I believe these considerable rights should come after responsibilities have been met and a contribution has been made. Settlement should not be automatic. It should be earned.

Mr. speaker, today the government publishes a policy called Earned settlement. It ensures the period. Someone must live in this country before they settle is determined by the contribution they have made. That starts by setting out clearly what we consider to be disqualifying criteria. Firstly, a criminal record. Secondly, a failure to speak English to a high standard. Thirdly, any unpaid debt to the British taxpayer. And finally, a failure to have made three years of National Insurance contributions. This is the foundation of settlement, the non-negotiable expectations that we make of anyone who seeks to live here permanently.

For those who clear these bars, settlement then varies based on the contribution made rather than simply time served. This contribution is judged, crucially, not just financially but also in terms of public service. A five year path will remain open to all higher earners on salaries of over £50,000, and those who have contributed in healthcare and education in professions like doctors, nurses and teachers. For those who make an exceptional contribution, even faster routes are available. The highest rate taxpayers earning over £125,000 will, over the course of their lifetime, contribute £1.5 million. This funds the critical services that many, including the poorest in these in this country, rely upon.

So under these reforms, they will be able to apply for settlement after three years, as will those who arrive on our highest talent schemes. Everyone else will be placed on a ten year path, including all those earning less than £50,000. Settlement will still be available to them. They will simply have to show a sustained contribution to this country, and they will be able to renew their existing temporary visas until that point. Conditionality runs both ways. Those who commit an immigration breach will see settlement pushed back to 20 years, while those who have claimed benefits must have had five continuous years without falling on the state before they make their application.

A number of groups will see their path to settlement remain as today. These include Hong Kong British nationals, overseas members of our armed forces, those with a British connection and those on legacy routes such as Windrush. Before we finalise this policy. We first took it to the country through a consultation. Over 200,000 people responded and I thank them for doing so. Many of the responses were focussed on one particular group social care workers. Between 2022 and 2025, 250,000 people and their dependents arrived on or switched into the social care route. They came at a time when the sector was under considerable pressure following the Covid-19 pandemic, and the unique challenge of that moment.

It is also, however, the case that this route was abused. The last conservative government may have talked of restoring control to our borders, but in truth, they lost control entirely. Never was this more obvious than when the shadow Home Secretary was an immigration Minister in the Home Office. Delegations were sent across the country to encourage ever more businesses to sponsor foreign workers, with little apparent interest in their suitability to do so. As a result, there was significant abuse of the care route, sometimes because of fraudulent and exploitative companies, and sometimes because the individuals themselves came here knowing there was no job they could fill.

A fair solution must address both sides of this. Recognising the service of those who cared for our sick and elderly at a time of immense national need, and also addressing the abuse that was present on this route, the government's solution does so in two ways. Firstly, by providing a five year path to settlement for care workers who lived up to the promise that they made on coming to this country, worked hard and answered our call when we needed them. Those who earn £25,000 a year working in the social care sector, which was the condition of their visa, will therefore be able to settle on their existing five year path.

The second group, who have not fulfilled the conditions of their visa, represent around a quarter of those who came between 2022 and 2025 or switched into this route. We will offer them a second chance to make the contribution that they came to this country to make. They will be able to apply for another five year care visa, and they will not be tied to their old employer, allowing those with rogue sponsors to break away from them. The government has already stripped around 1400 exploitative employers of their licences, and we are lifting standards in care with our fair Pay agreement across the sector.

The government will now help workers to find a new position with a legitimate provider, and we will give them a longer period of time to do so before their existing visa is curtailed. There remain tens of thousands of legitimate vacancies in the care sector today, so those who seek a new job in care and have the requisite skills should be able to find one at the completion of their new five year visa. These workers will be able to apply for settlement once more. Everyone will have a fair shot to make their contribution, and no one will be punished for the sins of their employer.

But we will also preserve the critical element of this reform. That settlement must be linked to contribution. The same transitional arrangement will be applied to public sector workers in roles identified by the Migration Advisory Committee. In healthcare and education, such as auxiliary nurses, this country has been highly dependent upon them and their contribution will be recognised. Mr Speaker. These transitional arrangements apply only to those who joined this, who joined before this government published the Immigration White Paper in May 2025. After that point, as our consultation shows, the government's position of a ten year path to settlement was widely understood.

These are exceptional exclusions for exceptional circumstances, and it remains the case that the rules around settlement are determined when a settlement decision is made, not at the point when someone arrives. This is a position that is long established in this country, and it is one that has been tested conclusively in our courts. Mr. speaker, the responses to our consultation focussed also on settlement rights for refugees. I know the people of this country wish to continue welcoming genuine refugees. However, I also know there is nothing fair about allowing unsafe and illegal entry into this country. It is not fair that our borders are run by people smugglers.

It is not fair that women and children are dying in the channel, and it is not fair that after historic levels of illegal arrivals, British citizens are paying £4 billion a year to fund asylum support. So as we open new, safe and legal routes for genuine refugees, we must also discourage dangerous, unsafe and illegal crossings and settlement plays a key part in this. We will place those who come to this country on one of our new safe and legal routes on a five year path to settlement. This is as fast a path as higher earners entering Britain today.

At the same time, we will discourage the use of unsafe and illegal routes, the standard disqualifying period for all refugees who have not come by a safe and legal route will become 20 years. A further ten years will be added for those who enter the country by an illegal method, such as by small boat. We do want to promote integration into this country for all those who are here. For that reason, those who enter work or study will be able to earn settlement ten years earlier. And this means a refugee who did not arrive by small boat, who is working and studying, could qualify for settlement at ten years.

Let us not forget, regardless of the question of settlement, for as long as our genuine refugee requires protection in this country, we will provide it. I know the British people's sense of fair play means they welcome refugees and those who seek to contribute to our society. Once they are here, but at the same time, there is nothing fair about incentivising unsafe and illegal routes into this country, and I will not do that. These reforms, Mr. Speaker, are the right thing to do, both morally and financially. While a full impact assessment will be completed and published as we implement the reforms, our changes ensure that those who are net contributors are encouraged to this country to come to this country and stay here.

Meanwhile, the cohort are most likely to impose a cost at settlement, must instead seek work and meet the conditions of their visa before they can apply. As a result, the Department for Work and Pensions estimates that our reforms will reduce the benefits bill by billions of pounds. This is a solution that is fair to those who came here legally and play their part, and fair to British citizens already here, who should not be asked to pay a greater burden. Mr. speaker, earned settlement institutes a new paradigm in our migration system, long overdue that one of our greatest rights that we can offer now depends upon a contribution made and responsibilities met.

The right to live in this country forever must now be earned. It will no longer be automatic. It is, Mr. Speaker, a fair settlement for all. And so I commend this statement to the House.
16:00
Chris Philp Portrait Rt Hon Chris Philp MP (Croydon South, Conservative)
-
-
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp. for advance sight of her statement, Mr. Speaker. It took a year for the Home Secretary to build her reputation as tough on immigration, but what took a year to build? She has just dismantled in 12 short minutes. Now, I don't judge her by the actions we think she should take. I judge her by what she herself previously said. She made announcements from that despatch box on November 20th last year and doubled down in a speech to the Ipswich on March the 5th this year. She repeatedly singled out social care workers as a particular problem.

She said on March the 5th that fraud in the social care sector was rife with bogus sponsors. She said at that Dispatch Box that it was right, and I quote, that more stringent restrictions. Her words should be applied to social care workers. Now she stands there and says the exact opposite a Home Office document, which she published on March the 5th, said that social care workers alone, because they work on low wages and have brought in many dependants, will actually cost the taxpayer £10 billion. Those are her figures that she specifically chose to publish about social care workers.

She went on to say on March the 5th that failing to implement her plans would be, and I quote, an affront to the idea of fairness in our society. Her words well, in the changes she announces today, that is exactly what she has done. The Home Secretary now proposes to allow every single care worker and their dependants who arrived prior to May 2025, a number running into hundreds of thousands to stay in this country, to stay in this country beyond the expiry of their visa and in the case of 75% of them, to stay permanently.

Even though she acknowledges that many of them arrived fraudulently. How is it she can justify allowing people that she acknowledges arrived here fraudulently, can stay forever, at a cost that she herself has admitted costs £10 billion? That is the cost. That is the cost of today's U-turn. £10 billion. And outside of care workers, many of the so-called highly skilled workers recently arrived are not highly skilled at all. The Home Secretary did not mention this in her statement, but in her document she is proposing to extend the soft terms on which they can stay until 2035, extending the previous sunset by five years.

Her own document, her own document published today, which she did not refer to forecasts. There will be a staggering 1.9 million permanent settlement rights granted between now and 2030, and an FOI request revealed where some of those people work. A chain of kebab shops called German Doner Kebab 106 skilled worker visas, or Can's Middle Eastern restaurant, 28 high skilled visas or a Domino's Pizza franchise in South Yorkshire, sponsoring 78 high skill visas. You get the picture. And just a year after getting ILR, someone can easily get full citizenship. And we know what that means.

Benefits, social housing and free NHS children. So when the Home Secretary said in March failing to implement her changes was an affront, she was right. But now she has done exactly that. And she also plans. She also plans to give illegal immigrants who arrived on small boats, ILR and citizenship. We disagree with that. Now, why is it she's made those changes? Well, it's because the community secretary, I notice, has run out and the Energy Secretary and the Labour open borders left oppose what she previously announced. They oppose what she previously announced. The Home Secretary is no longer running the government's immigration policy.

 The Housing Secretary is and her position is looking increasingly untenable. She's done, she's done. She's done no better with her announcements last year than Keir Starmer did with his welfare announcements. And we know what happened to him, Mr. Speaker, we would go a lot further than her previous announcements, although although they were a good start. So if she wants to implement her previous announcements in full, we will vote for them because mass low skilled migration must end. Those people who came here on a temporary visa and are working in low skilled, low wage jobs must leave when their temporary visa expires.

We cannot allow them to stay forever. Claiming benefits and social housing. And yet that is what our proposals today will allow to happen. £10 billion. That is the cost of today's U-turn. And to those who ask where we'll find the workers, there are 9 million economically inactive adults in this country. There are now, thanks to this Labour government's high tax, high regulation policies, a million young people not in education, employment or training. So if they had the courage to toughen up the welfare system, we'd get some of those people into work instead of relying on mass low skill migration.

So, Mr. Speaker, if the Home Secretary wants to face down her nemesis, the community Secretary, and implement her own plans, we will vote for them. But if she capitulates to the open borders, left, her credibility as Home Secretary will not recover.
16:06
Shabana Mahmood Portrait Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood KC MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Ladywood, Labour)
-
-
Home Secretary. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I tell you what is an affront, Mr. Speaker, and that is the shadow Home and that is the shadow Home Secretary's response. He might he might have amnesia, but actually, given the muted response on his own backbenches, they clearly still remember what happened on their watch when they were in government, as does the country when he was immigration Minister. Mr. speaker, it was his government that ran around the country signing up people to become sponsors of foreign workers. If he's got complaints about the work, the companies that are on the register, it's his government that signed them up.

Maybe an apology for that would have been appropriate. It was his government that was responsible for a number of arrivals in for four years that we had previously seen only in four decades. So before he starts trying to lecture anybody on being tough on immigration, perhaps an apology for the abject track record by this government would be appropriate. It is this government that has cut net migration by 82%, and it is this government and me as Home Secretary, that has found a fair solution for the mess left behind by him and his colleagues. He talks about the cost of those who will be settling.

Let me tell him if he had been paying attention to my fair solution and had, in fact, paid attention to the detail in the consultation document response, he will know that the cohort most likely to impose a cost will now, as a result of my measures, wait longer for settlement. And that is why the DWP say that these measures will save billions in the benefits Bill and half a million people, 500,000 people, will settle later as a result of these reforms. That is a fair solution to the mess that I have inherited from those who sit opposite.

Mr. speaker, he talked about the arrangements for those workers on low pay who were allowed by the previous conservative governments to extend their visas up to 2030. That was in order to allow them to attain settlement in 2030, in order to honour the promise made by the previous government. I have extended that period to 2035, reflecting the changes in the earned settlement consultation. Again, a fair solution honouring promises made previously as well as exceptional
16:08
16:09
Diane Abbott Portrait Rt Hon Diane Abbott MP (Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Labour)
-
-
Diane Abbott.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

opposition. Migration issues as some kind of

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Migration issues as some kind of political football. This is people's lives we are talking about. people's lives we are talking about. Whatever your your idea about policy and programs, and I think policy and programs, and I think people's lives deserve more seriousness. It is right that care seriousness. It is right that care workers are exempted from the new arrangements for ILR, but for the rest of the workforce, the retrospective nature of these new arrangements still seem to be unfair. Because you can come in legally, you can work legally, and then have your residency rights turned upside down.

How can that be fair? And I would ask the Home Secretary whether she has read the 276 pages long lessons learned review of the Windrush scandal, published by the Home Office in 2018. Because if she had read it, she would realise that she's in danger of finding herself in the same position as home secretaries who were in office at the time of the Windrush scandal. And just let me say this finally, I have heard members of this House talk about people just coming here to claim welfare. I have heard members of this House saying that people aren't making a contribution.

I have heard members of this House saying that we, you know, we have to look at the rights of British nationals as opposed to migrants, as if many British nationals are not themselves immigrants. But let me say this finally, my parents were immigrants. My mother was a nurse. She was one of that generation that came to this country to build the NHS after the war. And it remains the case that immigrants play a very important role in our NHS. And I say to the Home Secretary and I say to the House, we should always remember the contribution that immigrants made and continue to make to our society a.
16:11
Shabana Mahmood Portrait Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood KC MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Ladywood, Labour)
-
-
Well, let me agree with the hon. >> Well, let me agree with the hon. Lady on the contribution made by immigrants. As she knows, as I said in my statement, I too am the child of migrants, and that also informs my experience as I think about policy and how to strike the right balance between all of the different communities in our country. And that is what I have sought to do. Let me just say to her on indefinite leave, to remain on what she calls the retrospective nature of the changes she will now. I do not agree with that characterisation of those changes.

 Any government needs to be able to make changes to Immigration Rules to reflect things that are happening, to reflect abuses that we can see in the system, to also be able to make additional changes based on assessment of numbers and costs. That has always been the case. As I said in my statement, these matters have been litigated before in our courts, and the courts have upheld the principle that the rules that apply to settlement applications are those that apply at the point of application and decision, not the point at which somebody entered the country. And that is an important principle that will be upheld and is upheld by the changes that we are making.

And let me just say to her, also on Windrush, I've seen a number of people try to suggest that these changes to settlement are akin to what we saw during the Windrush scandal. Again, respectfully, I do disagree with her on that. The issue relating to the people that were caught up in the Windrush scandal was a scandal precisely because the country already had obligations to those individuals that related to their right to be in this country and fail to honour the obligation that we already had. That is different to workers arriving in this country on temporary work visas and the rules that apply to them for settlement itself.

The two are not the same. But let me assure her, I will always be mindful of the lessons that were revealed during the Windrush scandal, and I will make sure those lessons are learnt.
16:13
Max Wilkinson Portrait Max Wilkinson MP (Cheltenham, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat Speaker. >> It's a year on from the Home Secretary's initial statement on her immigration reforms, and we still disagree with the government and with the official opposition. Just as we predicted, the government's immigration reforms are unravelling. By prioritising tough rhetoric rather than a system that works, the Home Secretary has apparently split her party and the Cabinet and has alienated people on all sides. Viewing immigration simply as a matter of raw numbers and images of small boat arrivals is degrading this nation's ability to have the informed national discussion that we need. Immigration reforms must, of course, bring greater control, and they must prevent small boat crossings too.

But crucially, they must also serve our economy and public services. Mr. speaker, the Home Secretary previously claimed that ILR for care workers will cost us £10 billion. The shadow Home Secretary made much of that today. Yet the Ippr, using the same methodology, estimates the net benefit of skilled migrants settling in the UK under the current rules is £115 billion. So will the Home Secretary be publishing the full economic impact of the changes that she is suggesting? Mr. speaker, as the Prime Minister has acknowledged, being an EU member brought more order to our migration system. It prevented small boat crossings and it meant many who came to work here went home again in due course.

But this is not all down to the government. They simply would not be considering the changes to ILR today if it weren't for the Conservatives botched Brexit deal and the record levels of immigration they allowed. While promising lower numbers, it is no wonder so many people in this country are confused. Now the Conservatives are the official opposition. Their number one policy on immigration is leaving the EC. But something doesn't add up. Mr. speaker, the Conservatives tell us also that their Brexit deal is settled and must never be reviewed. The fact is that the Brexit deal they negotiated with the EU would be ended if this country leaves the European Convention on Human Rights, and that would send the UK into further chaos.

They look confused and they're disputing this, Mr. Speaker, but perhaps it's because conservative MPs have no idea what they are actually arguing for. They are either misinformed or they are misleading the public. But back to this government, Mr. Speaker. Today I have two further questions for the Home Secretary. Firstly, why does she think so many of her backbenchers disagree with her about immigration? And my second question relates to Europe. Our future clearly lies closer to Europe, which will bring opportunities to fix our migration system. So why does the Home Secretary disagree so strongly with the Prime Minister about this?
16:16
Shabana Mahmood Portrait Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood KC MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Ladywood, Labour)
-
-
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That was a very classic Lib Dem response. I have to say all very I agree this have to say all very I agree this is a problem. This is a problem. This is a problem. But but but but but which leads to no solutions whatsoever. Mr. speaker. Let me let me say to him again, I'm not going to engage with ridiculous political rhetoric. We consulted and I've presented the House with a fair solution that does right between all of the different cohorts, those who came to this country, those who are already here recognising the exceptionality of care workers in particular, given that they arrived in a very specific post Covid moment when they were needed for gaps in our care care sector.

I think that's a fair, a fair settlement, and that has taken place after a genuine consultation. Usually the Lib Dems are so in favour of consultations, they should be applauding the fact that this was a genuine consultation and we asked questions and we have considered the responses, and we have formulated the policy as a result of those responses. He mentioned the recent Iwpr report. He's right. It does use the same methodology as I have used before, but what he's failed to say is that they are looking at a totally different cohort of people in order to talk about their numbers.

 Perhaps you'd like to go back and look at that detail, and I'm happy to engage with him. Once he's acknowledged the difference in cohorts there. He made some points about the EU as another sort of very classic thing for him to do, to assume that all of these matters relate only to our post-Brexit reality. But settlement is a, is a is a policy of this government and all of our predecessor governments. It is a right conferred on people who then obtain the right to live in this country permanently. It is right that this government considers what those rules should be, as every previous government has also done.

So he will, of course, know that after we left the European Union, over 5 million European citizens settled in this country under the EU settlement Scheme. So that is also another of our post-Brexit consequences. I'm always happy to discuss with him the position in relation to the EU, but I don't think that has anything to do with settlement.
16:18
16:18
16:19
16:20
Shabana Mahmood Portrait Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood KC MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Ladywood, Labour)
-
-
Let me thank the Father of the House. Let me say I agree with him. It is high time that his frontbench took responsibility for the reality took responsibility for the reality of their government's time in office, something the shadow Home Secretary once again failed to do so today. Let me tell him on care workers in. In particular, this is reflecting the consultation responses and the recognition of the unique circumstances of this cohort, not just what they were asked to do in the post pandemic period, but also that this abuse, this route was subject to a huge amount of abuse.

The Home Office has revoked the visas of over over 1800 employers, primarily from the care sector. So recognising that if if there are people in this country today who came on this visa, who have fulfilled the terms of their visa, they've done their £25,000 a year earnings, and they are with an employer in the care sector. That is why they will be able to settle. And that is also why we are providing a second chance at making that contribution to those who have not been able to meet the terms of their visa. I think that's a fair settlement.

It gives a second chance to those who were exploited, but doesn't create a new, immediate right to settle. If they were not able to fulfil the terms of their visa on those who've arrived illegally into this country. He will also know that in addition to the new protection model, which means that people can't settle before 20 years, we will be creating the work and study route, which will allow those who are integrating into this country by working or studying to settle earlier, which again, I think is the right thing to do there.

Speaker.
16:22
16:23
16:23
16:24
Shabana Mahmood Portrait Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood KC MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Ladywood, Labour)
-
-
Let me thank the chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee and thank her and her committee for their work in this area. I will be responding officially to their recent report on on settlement. She'll know that I've obviously waited until the policy has been settled, but I will set out the government's full response to the committee's very good work in this area, and I thank them for it. Let me say to her that she's absolutely right on the need to make sure that domestic workers can access the skills they need in order to get jobs that are available in this country.

She'll know that I'm flanked by many members of the government, including the Secretary of State for education, who I know is very alive to the issues of skills and training, as are my colleagues in DWP and elsewhere, and that will be an important piece of work going forward, especially in the care sector, where the government has already recognised that there is a need for an improvement in pay and conditions for care workers, with our fair pay agreement expected by 2028, that is a recognition that things need to change in that sector to make it more attractive to domestic workers as well.

So let me assure her on that point. And let me also say, the changes that have been announced will begin to be laid from the December Immigration Rules. They will be implemented over the course of 2027, and I will be providing impact assessments and other detailed guidance as those changes are rolled out.
16:25
16:26
16:26
16:27
16:27
16:28
16:29
16:30
16:30
16:31
16:32
16:32
16:33
16:33
16:33
16:34
16:34
16:35
16:35
16:36
16:36
16:37
16:37
16:38
16:38
16:38
16:39
16:39
16:40
16:41
16:41
16:41
16:41
16:42
16:43
16:43
16:44
16:44
16:45
16:45
16:46
16:46
16:47
16:47
16:48
16:48
16:49
16:49
16:49
16:50
16:50
16:51
16:51
16:52
16:52
16:53
16:53
16:53
16:54
16:54
16:55
16:56
16:57
16:57
16:58
16:58
16:59
16:59
16:59
17:00
17:00
17:00
17:01
17:02
17:02
17:03
17:04
17:04
17:04
17:05
17:05
17:06
17:07
17:07
17:07
17:07
17:08
17:08
17:09
17:09
17:09
17:10
17:10
17:11
17:11
17:12
17:12
17:13
17:13
17:14
17:14
17:15
17:15
17:16
17:16
17:16
17:17
17:17
17:18
17:18
17:19
17:19
17:20
17:20
17:20
17:21
17:21
17:22
17:23
None Portrait Presentation of bills
-

Lewis Atkinson bill.
17:23
Graeme Downie Portrait Graeme Downie MP (Dunfermline and Dollar, Labour)
-
-
15th. >> Friday the 15th of January 2027. We now come to the ten minute rule motion. Submarine recycling

**** Possible New Speaker ****

strategy. Graeme Downie. Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. I beg to move that leave be given to bring in a bill leave be given to bring in a bill to require the Secretary of State to prepare and publish a strategy for recycling decommissioned submarines and connected purposes. Madam Deputy Speaker, every time I drive back to my constituency, there is one sight that tells me I'm nearly home. It is not a cathedral or a castle. It is a Goliath crane that stands above Babcock's dockyard at Rosyth. This crane came to the area just over 15 years ago to help put together the not become a graveyard for submarines.

31 years on, six submarines are still waiting and the seventh is only now being finished. Dreadnought, Britain's very first nuclear submarine, has been tied up at Rosyth since 1980. She has now spent far longer waiting to be recycled than she ever spent at sea. In 2019, the National Audit Office found that not one of the 20 retired submarines since 1980 had been disposed of. The Minister of Defence, that had hoped to begin working in this process by 2011, and it has missed that by years. Promise after promise and far too little delivered. And that is a gap that this bill seeks to close.

Madam Deputy Speaker, Alongside Swiftsure, six boats at Rosyth are awaiting their turn. HMS Dreadnought, Churchill Resolution, repulse, renown and revenge. Another 16 are at Devonport. Madam Deputy Speaker, about 200 people are currently working on the programme at Rosyth. Today, carry that work on to the next phase and Rosyth could support around 300 skilled jobs for 20 to 30 years, and perhaps even longer. That is not an offer you get in many areas of industrial policy. Since I was elected, I have raised this with Ministers more times than I can count, and I'm sure Ministers are probably fed up of answering written questions about this topic, but I will keep doing so because Rosyth should be the place, the country and indeed the world turns to to carry out this work.

We talk a lot about in this in this place, about growth, usually in percentages and forecasts. But growth should not be abstract. Growth is a young person getting an apprenticeship. Growth is somebody landing a skilled job. Growth is a family feeling secure enough to buy a home? Growth is a community. Knowing that investment is coming and jobs are being maintained. Every boat dismantled means work for welders, engineers, project managers, technicians, and orders for local suppliers and places on courses at Fife College and Forth Valley College. And yet, Madam Deputy Speaker, I am sad to say that some on opposition benches have opposed this work.

At the very moment the Rosyth workforce is showing it can be done safely and to the higher standards. Some in the SNP have chosen to peddle unnecessary scare stories. Instead of trusting the skill and dedication of local people doing incredible work. Madam Deputy Speaker, that scandalous it means else, because some other country will attempt to crack this. What the Rosyth workforce needs more than anything is certainty. You cannot switch skills like this on and off. Leave a long gap between one boat and the next, and the experienced people retire or move on. The apprentices find work elsewhere and we end up starting from scratch.

Further delays, further cost and further nuclear submarines sitting in Rosyth not being handled. Madam Deputy Speaker, this Bill would place a duty on the Secretary of State to publish a strategy for recycling the UK's decommissioned submarines. It would have to include a timetable for the boats waiting at Rosyth and at Devonport, a plan for the skills and supply chain. The work relies on the arrangements for safe regulation and waste and regular reports back to this House. Madam Deputy Speaker, we do not need any more open ended promises, a published plan and Ministers answerable to Parliament for delivering it.

Madam Deputy Speaker, there is a security argument to being able to look after a nuclear submarine from the day it is built to the day the last piece of it is recycled. It is part of having a sovereign nuclear capability, and we should keep that capability in this country. For more than a century, Rosyth has helped to keep this country safe. The six submarines still sitting in the forth represent years of work, hundreds of careers and a chance to build something here that the rest of the world is going to need. Madam Deputy Speaker, this bill is for Ken, Gary, Dean and the people they work alongside, and for the young people of Fife who could follow in their footsteps.

And I commend this bill to the House.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The question is that the hon. Member have leave to bring in the Bill. As many of that opinion say, Bill. As many of that opinion say, I of the contrary, no. the ayes have it, the ayes have it. Who will prepare and bring in the bill?

**** Possible New Speaker ****

prepare and bring in the bill? Mike Martin. Sarah Hall. Damien Egan. Alex Baker. Alex Ballinger. Richard Baker. Michelle Scrogham. Richard Baker. Michelle Scrogham. Lincoln Jopp. Al Carns. David Taylor. Luke Akehurst and myself.
17:32
None Portrait Debate: Continuation of the Budget Debate
-

17:32
Angela Rayner Portrait Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Ashton-under-Lyne, Labour)
-
-
remain committed to filling the gap. This is why I was delighted that the Budget we announced, we are in the final stages of agreeing devolution deals in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, Stoke and Staffordshire, Surrey, Thames Valley, Kent and Medway. Wessex and Cornwall and these areas will join Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Greater Essex and Norfolk and Suffolk, and the forefront of the government's ambitious programme to expand devolution together. Madam Deputy Speaker, these agreements will mean over 90% of England's population is covered by a devolution agreement, with Meryl devolution reaching every part of the North and we will continue working with all remaining areas including Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes where there is broad

**** Possible New Speaker ****

agreement but not yet local consensus. I will give way to the hon. Lady. I thank.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank. The Secretary of State for giving way. The one. The one county she hasn't mentioned in that very long list is West Sussex, and West Sussex has been waiting for two and a half been waiting for two and a half years of dither and delay. So will the Secretary of State take this opportunity to tell me now, what is

**** Possible New Speaker ****

opportunity to tell me now, what is the plan for West Sussex? She's got the piece of paper now again. Again. Madam Deputy Speaker, I did just say that we're working with all other remaining areas, and we will continue to do so where we can find that local consensus, because we're the party of devolution who believes with working with local leaders. And later this year, we will also publish our full plan for rewiring this day. Outlining the vision for devolution in England. The changes that we have announced are about devolution, not delegation, where powers and functions are transferred.

They will not be duplicated at the centre. This means that over time, Madam Deputy Speaker, central government will become smaller but more strategic.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I'll give way. Secretary of State for giving way. And she mentioned Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Can the Secretary of State please give a defining date of when this devolution will happen, because we are severely missing out on the

**** Possible New Speaker ****

funds and pots of money that's going elsewhere. Well, again, Madam Deputy Speaker, we are working with the Speaker, we are working with the local areas to make sure that we can do that as quickly as possible, and we're happy to engage with local leaders as part of that local leaders as part of that programme. And as we move towards a local government finance settlement, we will continue working with local

**** Possible New Speaker ****

leaders to plan and invest for the long term. And I am clear that local

**** Possible New Speaker ****

And I am clear that local government is the foundation of the public services that neighbourhoods and communities rely on are and communities rely on are essential to wider ambition to rewire the state.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

rewire the state. For giving way, and I wholeheartedly support the regional mayors delivering to local mayors delivering to local communities. But the Labour government is always promoting localisation and devolution. How will she ensure that regional mayors interact and work with local councillors? After all, local

**** Possible New Speaker ****

councils are elected and represent their local neighbourhoods. Hear, hear. Well, again, Madam Deputy Speaker, our plans and what we're putting forward is about making sure that mayors work with local authorities. In fact, in my area in authorities. In fact, in my area in Greater Manchester, we've seen the combined authority have a real good pulling power where our economy is doing better than other areas. So we want to see that across the whole of the nations. This is why whole of the nations. This is why the Cabinet statement on rewiring the state, committed to the financial sustainability of local authorities, and this Budget is the next step towards that.

The upcoming Local Government Finance Policy Statement will set out our next steps alongside the rewiring, the state delivery plan. And good growth is growth that you can see and feel. We need to draw a line under a decade of drift, where the public realm had been seen as a shroud, a sideshow to politics, at this Budget, at this Budget, you this Budget, at this Budget, you should know about sideshows. Our high streets are where we catch up with friends for a coffee. The businesses from them provide solid jobs, and at the heart of our communities, these small moments of joy give you real hope.

And that is why our strategy is giving hope back to the high streets. Madam Deputy Speaker, new powers, new funding and changes to the business rates system will provide much needed relief for thousands of cafes, pubs and high street shops. Yeah, we're freezing all retail, hospitality and leisure bills in real terms to protect them from above. Inflation bill increases for the next two years, and we are lifting the small business rate relief threshold for qualifying properties. And I'll give way.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way, and my constituents will strongly welcome the decision to extend small business rate relief to many, many more businesses in the Crewe and Nantwich constituency. But they'll Nantwich constituency. But they'll also welcome the decision to remove small business rate relief from adult gaming centres and vape shops. adult gaming centres and vape shops. Will she join me in saying that this is an important step to incentivise the kind of business

**** Possible New Speaker ****

that we want to see and Yes. He's absolutely right. Madam Deputy Speaker, we are removing business rates relief for vape shops and adult gaming centres, and giving local authorities stronger tools to tackle business rates avoidance. And at the Budget we announced an extra 20% business rates cut for pubs and all but the largest live music venues. And we are also introducing a general anti-avoidance rule for business rates at the earliest opportunity, and expanding what legal costs local authorities can claim when

**** Possible New Speaker ****

way. I thank my. Right hon. Friend for giving way, and I really welcome the change to and I really welcome the change to the business rates threshold. It's taking hundreds of businesses in Bournemouth town centre out of Bournemouth town centre out of paying rates, but I wondered if she considered the knock on impact on business improvement districts, who are often stepping up to fill the are often stepping up to fill the gap where councils can't keep the streets clean or keep the shopfronts looking nice. So as more shopfronts looking nice. So as more are coming out of rates, can she say what more the government is doing to look at the impact on bids?

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you. Well. Again. There's a number of measures that we've been taking forward, like the overnight visit levy, working with businesses. And hopefully as devolution pushes down into local communities, there is a into local communities, there is a role for the public realm as well as business and innovators and those community and voluntary sector that do so much and sector that do so much and volunteers in our local community. But more broadly, Madam Deputy Speaker, we are also moving Speaker, we are also moving government buildings onto the high streets and improving design standards. A whole government plan to show the public that the best days of our high streets are yet to

**** Possible New Speaker ****

come. I'll happily give way on that point. I'm grateful to the. Secretary of State for giving

**** Possible New Speaker ****

way. boroughs. In Kent.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

In Kent. But it has. It is the fourth highest in the south east for NEETs. For young people, unemployment. Does she also agree with me to Does she also agree with me to welcome the youth hub in Gravesham on our High Street, so that young people can find a way back into

**** Possible New Speaker ****

people can find a way back into education, training and employment. There are over 84 colleagues hoping to contribute, so every minute we can give to backbenchers will go down well. So to say.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

No to Madam Deputy Speaker. Absolutely. I really applaud what Gravesham is doing, especially Gravesham is doing, especially towards the young people as well. And, Madam Deputy Speaker, the strategy is backed by £125 million to transform derelict buildings in our high street, £65 million for our high street, £65 million for community ownership funding and £10 million to deliver high street million to deliver high street rental auctions. Alongside this, we are cracking down on illegitimate and illegal businesses, giving councils powers to limit vape shops and adult gaming centres, and reforming licensing. The state of our town and city centres say so much about us, who we are as a country, and whether we are on the right path.

Getting our high streets back on track is a crucial step to getting Britain hope again. But at this strategy it's. It's one part of our plan to make people proud of their local area. And alongside this we have confirmed plans for a new number ten North Priority Projects programme. This will unlock homes, jobs, investment and long term economic growth, with number ten North working directly with new strategic authorities. The Budget will also accelerate the delivery of priority projects in West Yorkshire, the West of England and the South Yorkshire. This includes investment to expand the Leeds College of Buildings to accommodate over 2000 new learners, crowding in around £350 million of private investment into Bristol Temple Quarter and match funding incubator space in the Don Valley corridor, and we will continue to support growth in London as one of the world's most important cities, working with the Mayor of London to bring forward improvements to the transport network and towards a global city productivity plan and more widely.

We have also confirmed that all 20 strategic authorities will be eligible for funding in the new Cooperative Development Programme. This £10 billion programme is the biggest government backed boost to cooperatives for decades, and it shows how we're stream rolling on to meet our commitment to our sister party to double the size of the cooperative economy. Madam Deputy Speaker, in the years ahead, we will continue to deliver the £5.8 billion Pride of Place programme, putting local residents in charge of change across almost 300 neighbourhoods. And this month we will see the next major milestone of the programme as we reach the deadline for phase two neighbourhoods to submit their ten year plan, and we will continue to work with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to confirming that the Budget.

Madam Deputy Speaker, the investment in the Edinburgh Glasgow Central Belt, funding for the expansion of the MSP Arc Science Park in Anglesey and Cardiff Parkway station, and the £7.5 million of investment to grow AI and cyber industries in Belfast. Our plans for good growth will shape the future of this country, but we also know that people need breathing space right now, alongside radical reforms to reduce bills in the future. We have also announced a series of measures to tackle the cost of living and help make everyday life easier. We know that rising energy costs are going to be tough for a lot of households this winter.

This is why we are removing VAT and standing charges from bills, freezing fuel duty and providing £100 per household energy payments in

**** Possible New Speaker ****

council tax bands. A to D in England. Yes. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Madam Deputy Speaker, this is supporting up to 80% of households in England, and local authorities will get a discretionary fund of will get a discretionary fund of £100 million to provide further support to households most in need. And on top of this, we have taken And on top of this, we have taken action to make groceries cheaper by cutting import duties, increase the living wage and the minimum wage, extended parental leave and ended the Carer's Allowance cliff edge. We brought in the higher tax free mileage rates and boosted support for nurses, and we are making sure that pensioners in receipt of full State Pension will not have to pay tax.

Madam Deputy Speaker, Britain is a kind, caring nation where people take pride in looking out for each other. And in 2026, the world's fifth richest economy. Everyone should have a roof over their head. That is why we will make sure that by Christmas this year, everyone sleeping rough will be offered a route off the streets. And earlier this year I announced £442 million for new rough sleeping programme to meet that milestone. But support off the streets should not be just for Christmas. So now we're almost doubling that figure to £432 million to keep the offer going for the next two years.

That means continuing to help people off the streets while preventing people from returning to them and giving them support that they need. And that's why we'll make sure these wraparound support for those people as well. The Budget makes progress towards our commitment to deliver the biggest boost in council house building since the post-war period, and we have announced that we will extend the preferential borrowing rate for councils, on top of the £1.5 billion that I mentioned earlier. Our message to local leaders is get ambitious and will back you all the way and Mhclg planned assist AI tool will be available to all councils in England by the end of 2027.

Madam Deputy Speaker, we also announced the your first Home scheme to help around 70,001st time buyers to get on the ladder, and good growth in every postcode isn't just about fairness. It's a simple point that Britain is at its best when every part of the country can play their part. I'm proud of this government's action, Madam Deputy Speaker, I'm proud of our history and I'm proud of this Budget, and I commend this statement to the House.
17:50
Andrew Bowie Portrait Andrew Bowie MP (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Conservative)
-
-
Shadow Secretary of State Mr. Bowie. Bowie. growth. >> In every postcode breathing space. That's the theme of today's space. That's the theme of today's debate. Apparently, that is what we are told that this Budget will deliver. But the sad fact is, Madam deliver. But the sad fact is, Madam Deputy Speaker, is that it could have been it really could have been an opportunity to focus on growth, to support British businesses and the British people. It really was an opportunity to fix the mistakes of the past two years, an opportunity to get back to back business and unleash Britain.

But they didn't take it. And all we appear to have from the Secretary of State today is more government will solve all of our problems. It was an opportunity to end the smash and grab tax policies on working people, including, by the way, employers. Madam Deputy Speaker, but Labour doubled down. The Chancellor could have demonstrated when he resigned as Defence Secretary, that he did so out of principle and set out a road to 3% of GDP on defence. But no, we didn't get that either. They could have taken steps to cut welfare and get Britain working, but too scared of their backbenchers.

They are allowing the welfare Budget to continue to spiral out of control. Madam Deputy Speaker, this Budget was a total missed opportunity, far from growth in every postcode. Far from breathing space, we saw a steady as she goes Budget, a change of captain, a rearranging of the deckchairs, but no change of course, which would be fine if the vessel we were on were not the Titanic. One area. We did see some action on. One issue that was mentioned considerably in the Budget was energy. Madam Deputy Speaker, the cost of energy and our energy security, or lack thereof, and albeit slight but definite, acknowledgement that the energy policies being enacted by the Labour government up to this point have been having a negative impact on the people and businesses of Great Britain, which is why I was more than a little surprised not to see energy as a theme of this Budget debate, and why I was surprised not to see the Secretary of State for energy speaking as part of this debate, or is it that she actually isn't too keen on this change of direction, that this moderate shift towards something resembling common sense from the government does not sit well with her?

I mean, where is she absent from Parliament? When they announced Jack saw absent from the Budget debate, either in hiding or being kept hidden, the words of the Chancellor last week that his right hon. Friend had opposed rather than approved. Jackdaw was not so much as a slip of the tongue as a lifting of the veil into the division at the heart of this government when it comes to energy policy, because that's the truth of it. Madam Deputy Speaker, we have a government today totally divided on energy policy between a Chancellor and a Treasury desperate for growth and for some good news on one side, and an energy secretary and a parliamentary party still wholly signed up to a Miliband ism approach to energy that is net zero.

Clean power 2030 above all else, above jobs, above cost and above our security. I mean, Madam Deputy Speaker, we have an Energy Secretary briefing out. She's inclined not to approve Rosebank, presumably on the basis that growth in every postcode does not include postcodes to begin with A, B and the Chancellor briefing that it will be approved soon. We have Labour backbenchers claiming Rosebank is oh so different to jackdaw because it is oil and that is exported not like gas that we use at home, as if somehow generating revenue from exports, displacing Russian oil from the European market and backing British jobs is a bad thing.

But we also have a Budget for office, an office for Budget responsibility that includes revenue from Rosebank and future discoveries as part of its projections for government revenue over the next year, we have a Treasury cutting funding from key US projects and energy Ministers scrambling over themselves to insist that funding has not been cut. A Treasury announcing a cut to the Warm Homes Fund of £1 billion, and an energy department insisting that the Warm Homes Fund remains at the heart of the government's plans to support those on lowest incomes insulate and decarbonise. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is utterly chaotic.

No wonder the Energy Secretary is being hidden, hidden away or in hiding. For over two years now, we have been listening to various Ministers lecture and patronise us on this side, that we were wrong, that we did not need more gas from the North Sea, that it was clean power that mattered over the cost of energy, that we must have consensus on energy policy. Well, we on this side of the House have been clear from day one the cost of energy, the security of our energy supply, the future of our North Sea. These are the issues that should guide and shape our energy policies.

And it is good to see that consensus may be returning, and not just on the entirely reasonable and sensible step of ensuring one has a well stocked fridge of Sauvignon Blanc ready for emergencies, and on that I will certainly give way.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank the right hon. Member for giving way. Would he agree that, for giving way. Would he agree that, unlike Norway, who kept its crown jewels and North Sea oil and gas jewels and North Sea oil and gas and is funding public services, that it was absolutely disastrous and wrong for the Tory government and wrong for the Tory government to sell off the North Sea that belong to the people who are now

**** Possible New Speaker ****

paying through their nose for energy. Well, no, I won't surprise the hon. Gentleman to to, to to to learn that I do not agree with him. In fact, what we have seen is the billions of pounds generated since the 1960s for this country, driven by the private sector, investing in jobs, investing in this country, creating wealth and making the North Sea one of the cleanest and safest basins in the world in which to invest. I am very proud of the companies and the men and women who have driven this oil and gas industry to be the best in the world, and unlike him, and unlike the party opposite, we want to see that go further.

We want to see further investment in our North Sea and our oil and gas industry. But as I was saying, consensus, consensus, Madam Deputy Speaker, is welcome because we are in an energy crisis and there is and there is no and there is no escaping that the people and businesses of this country face some of the highest energy bills, domestic and industrial, in the developed world. And it is getting worse under labour. Our energy system is becoming increasingly unreliable and intermittent, and more and more reliant on imported energy. The burden of expensive energy is bearing down on Britain, in households and businesses and industry, and is having severe consequences.

And whilst the Chancellor did acknowledge this, which was as welcome as it was surprising, it was entirely underwhelming. Some of the announcements may have seemed impressive, but they will not even touch the sides. £100 for certain households when people's bills are set to increase by over £500 in January, many will ask what was the point? Will they even notice it? But it is clear the Chancellor had at least noticed the Conservatives cheap power plan cutting VAT on energy bills, scrapping levies on bills. I wonder where they might

**** Possible New Speaker ****

course. I thank the shadow Minister for giving way, and one of the things which I have to say with respect to which I have to say with respect to the Liberal government missing in the Budget is the the working middle class. They are caught in a devastating mentor, a pincer devastating mentor, a pincer movement between the frozen thresholds and rising surcharges. They have worked. Extra shifts have They have worked. Extra shifts have been responsible in the way they've lived. They've put a modest amount of savings aside in this Budget of savings aside in this Budget today.

The the. The working middle class find themselves being penalised for their aspirations, forced to pay out more of their hard earned pockets while watching inflation erode their savings. Does the hon. Gentleman say what's

**** Possible New Speaker ****

missing today is any consideration for the working middle class? Well, my hon. Friend is

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Well, my hon. Friend is absolutely right. But as usual, the Labour Party gives no regard to those with aspiration or that want to succeed and get on. All they care about is handouts and subsidies for Benefit Street. We are the party that will support those who are working hard to do those who are working hard to do the right thing and move forward, but to return to consensus cutting

**** Possible New Speaker ****

VAT on energy bills. Yes, of course. The hon. Member talked about the opposition's Clean Power Plan and how marvellous apparently it is. If those ideas were so good, why did his party not implement them when they had 14 years? Good question.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Well, it's the cheap power plan, not the Clean Power Plan. But I don't want to be too much of a stickler for detail. It might not have exchanged. It escaped his notice that we are under new management now in the Conservative management now in the Conservative Party and. And and I look forward to implementing our plan when we to implementing our plan when we win the election. Madam Deputy Speaker, there was also the surprise announcement of the surprise announcement of the removal of standing charges on gas bills. While only surprising for the SNP group leader for Angus and Perthshire Glens, who did not know if he still supported the move that he called for back in 2024.

But Madam Deputy Speaker, on the face of it, yes, this may appear to lower bills, but as ever, the devil is in the detail because if you're a higher consumer, one that uses gas for heating, cooking or hot water, then your energy bill is going to go up. Now, across Britain, temperatures are beginning to drop as we head into winter in large parts of this country in the north of England and Scotland, it just got more expensive to turn your heating on thanks to Labour. Madam Deputy Speaker, 80% of houses in Britain rely on gas to keep them warm, which is why the delay to make a decision regarding jackdaw was so maddening.

When the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero approved the decision through gritted teeth, it was justified, rightly so, on the basis of energy security, getting gas out of the jackdaw field is what is best for Britain, because every bit of gas from that field will go directly into the British Gas network. As I said, Madam Deputy Speaker, the devil is in the detail because, as I have already said, we are all very surprised to see that revenue from Rosebank is still being accounted for in the Obrs projections for revenue. Considering the Secretary of State has suggested to the press that she is not minded to approve Rosebank, despite it being quasi judicial, does that mean that the forecasts are possibly misleading or wrong, or is the Chancellor about to get his way again?

And is Rosebank about to get the go ahead? We need to have this cleared up. We need to understand. Madam Deputy Speaker, the theme for today's debate is growth in every postcode breathing space. But this Budget did nothing for growth. It gave no breathing space, but for a couple of gasps of cold air from those who are too scared to turn on their heating this Christmas. It could have. We could have seen a bold Budget. One that said, without equivocation, we support our North Sea oil and gas industry that would have gotten Britain drilling by removing the energy profits levy in today, not in three years, one that reduced the cost of energy by slashing levies, charges and taxes that still make up too much of an individual or business's energy bill, one that could have reindustrialised our country by incentivising investment and growth, not one that doubled down on net zero and the linkage of the ETS with Europe.

That is the Budget we need to see. Madam Deputy Speaker, that is the Budget that the Conservatives would have presented, and that's the Budget we will

**** Possible New Speaker ****

present when we win the next general election. Because we have so many colleagues wishing to contribute.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

colleagues wishing to contribute. Backbenchers are on a five minute speaking limit. Helen Hayes thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Deputy Speaker. The government's commitment. To children and young people is clear in the scale of reforms to clear in the scale of reforms to education that they are bringing forward from the restoration of early years services through Best
18:01
Helen Hayes Portrait Helen Hayes MP (Dulwich and West Norwood, Labour)
-
-
early years services through Best Start family hubs, the expansion of childcare, rollout of free breakfast clubs, curriculum reform and reform, technical and vocational qualifications from the age of 14. Work experience, social media regulation and apprenticeships. It is the Education Select Committee's role to scrutinise the detail of the government's policies and its delivery, but there can be no doubt about the scale of its ambition for children and young people across our country. I welcome the announcement in the Budget of the establishment of a new parental allowance for self-employed fathers, partners and adopters, which will enable parents who have previously been excluded from parental leave and pay to have precious bonding time together as a family with their baby or adopted child.

 Earlier this year, my committee published a report on reading for pleasure, which documented the immense benefits of reading for pleasure for children and young people, for the development of empathy and compassion, good mental health and wellbeing, language skills and attainment. At school. We also highlighted the concerning drop in the number of children and young people choosing to read for pleasure, and a range of interventions that are needed to turn this situation around. I therefore welcome the addition of 15 million, the additional £15 million that the government has allocated in the Budget to increase access to books for young children.

 I would, however, add that the most concerning decline in reading for pleasure is amongst teenagers, and that school libraries can play a hugely valuable role in supporting children to sustain reading at secondary school, my committee has called on the government to extend its important pledge to deliver a library in every primary school to secondary schools as well. This can be done for an investment of £15 million, and I hope the government will continue to look at how this important pledge can be extended. My committee has examined the delivery of apprenticeships, and we noted that children and young people are not provided with nearly enough information about apprenticeships, and that this information often does not come in time for them to consider apprenticeships properly as an alternative to university.

I therefore welcome the expansion of the mayoral apprenticeship brokerage pilots, which have the potential to ensure both that employers are supported to offer more apprenticeships and that young people have access to information about these fantastic opportunities in their local area. And I welcome the increase of £60 million per year for new PE and sport partnerships to increase the availability of high quality opportunities for children and young people to participate in sport and physical activity in school and in their local area, directly contributing to better physical and mental health. But there are some areas of interest to my committee which were not covered by the Budget and about which we remain concerned.

Our report on higher education and funding raised concerns about the impact of the international student levy on higher education institutions, and a lack of join up between the Home Office and the Department for Education. The government's impact analysis for the proposed international student levy now suggests a loss of income to the higher education sector of £280 million, over £100 million higher over three years than originally estimated. Universities consistently told us that the international student levy was going to prove to be relatively inelastic to increases in fees, and the impact analysis supports this. We can be enormously proud of our universities.

They are internationally renowned powerhouses of economic growth and anchor institutions in their communities, and they offer life changing opportunities to thousands of young people and mature students every year. But they are facing extreme precarity in their financial sustainability, and it is vitally important that government policy seeks to bolster them and not to push them over the cliff, over a cliff edge. So I urge the government to look carefully again at the international student levy to ensure that it is proportionate and fit for purpose. Madam Deputy Speaker, my committee has long been raising concerns about the disparity in the treatment of further education colleges with regard to VAT compared to schools.

Further education colleges have a critical role to play in the government's important objective of reducing the scandal of almost 1 million young people who are not in education, employment or training. Colleges are places of hope, inspiration, support and inclusion where young people can find their passion and gain the skills they need to pursue it. Yet, unlike schools, they cannot claim VAT. Government Ministers have written to me with the technical explanation of the rules on VAT exemptions, but they are looking at this issue the wrong way round. Whatever the technical justification, the reality is that schools and colleges are not on a level playing field on VAT and the response should not be this is what the rules say, but how can we change the system to make the rules fair?

This Budget represents the government's excellent commitment to children and young people. But there is more to more. There is further to go, and my committee will continue to press the government and to scrutinise its Democrat.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Spokesperson Zoe Franklin. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I welcome the government's I welcome the government's recognition that economic growth cannot be driven solely from Whitehall, and that local leaders Whitehall, and that local leaders and communities must have a greater say in shaping their future. Liberal Democrats have long argued that decisions should be taken as that decisions should be taken as close as possible to the people they affect. We support genuine devolution, greater fiscal autonomy devolution, greater fiscal autonomy for local government and empowering communities to shape their own futures. But the real question before us today is whether this Budget will actually deliver the government's ambition of good government's ambition of good growth in every postcode.

Growth? I will give way.
18:06
Zöe Franklin Portrait Zöe Franklin MP (Guildford, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
I'm sure the hon. Member will agree with me that rural economies rely on transport, and in my constituency we have seen colleges have to cut their hours because the bus doesn't come that late. We have seen employers have to put on their own buses in order to get shift workers. Would the hon. Member agree with me that for rural economies to thrive, we really need

**** Possible New Speaker ****

to be looking at transport. I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. She's absolutely intervention. She's absolutely right. We do need that support to make sure that people can get to where they live in rural where they live in rural constituencies, to other areas for work, in education. So growth is not measured by the number of new governance structures that we governance structures that we create. It's measured by whether people can find an affordable home, access to GP appointment, travel to access to GP appointment, travel to work, start a business, build a secure future in the place that they call home.

And for Liberal Democrats, this Budget must meet three tests democratic consent, sustainable local government finances and tangible improvements in everyday lives and first, democratic consent. Devolution should bring power closer to communities. We should be careful not to mistake devolution for decentralisation. Power removed from Whitehall but concentrated in a single regional office such as the mayor, is not necessarily power shared with local communities. In Surrey, the home of my Guildford constituency, that distinction is becoming increasingly apparent. The Budget confirmed the government is in the final stages of agreeing arrangements for a mayoral strategic authority in Surrey.

Yet Ministers previously assured this House that no area would be forced into mayoral model. So what has changed? There has been no vote of. The councils will have to operate within the structure. Residents have not been given an opportunity to express a view that on the model that they want. In fact, the bulk of the discussions appear to have been had with Surrey County Council, a county council, a council that will be defunct in just six months rather than the new East and West Unitaries. So how can the government claim to be bringing power closer to communities when those same communities have had so little say?

And of course, mayor is democratically elected, but representing an entire county or region is very different to representing a specific town, village or ward. Local councillors understand character challenges and priorities of the communities they serve. They are often the first people residents turn to when problems arise. So I ask the Minister, what was the Secretary of State? I apologise. What meaningful influence will local elected leaders retain and how the voices of villages, rural communities be protected under the new arrangements? Because devolution should not be forced upon communities, it should happen with them. Our second test is whether this Budget delivers sustainable local government finances.

The Budget contains announcements on strategic authorities, borrowing powers, business rates, retention and new fiscal freedoms. Some of those measures may prove beneficial, but we must not confuse devolution with funding reform. Local government's central challenge is not governance, its financial sustainability. While Ministers talk enthusiastically about new structures and powers, councils across England face profound financial pressure, the Local Government Association has warned of £1 billion funding gap over the coming years. Against that backdrop, many councils are struggling simply to maintain core services and I return to my own area of Surrey. The six councils coming together to form West Surrey inherit £4.5 billion of debt while simultaneously facing rising demand for adult social care, children's services and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

So my concern here is how does implementing measures without funding reform solve any of those problems? How does the new governance structure address historic debt? How does it ease pressure on social care budgets? How does it help councils meet rising demand for frontline services? The Budget announces 1.5 billion borrowing facilities for the strategic authorities. And while borrowing may help, investment, borrowing is no substitute for financial stability and we have to recognise that we must learn the lessons from councils such as Woking, where serious financial failures have left residents paying the price failures caused by previous conservative administrations.

And nowhere is the gap between structural reform and real life outcomes clearer than in special

**** Possible New Speaker ****

educational needs. I on that point, I will give way. Thank you. She is right to talk

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you. She is right to talk about local government finances, my local government, my local council local government, my local council Harlow faced 70% cuts to core funding by the conservative government. Would she recognise that when the Lib Dems were in that when the Lib Dems were in coalition, the funding was cut by 30 nearly 30%? And would she also recognise what this government's doing to introduce multiyear funding for local councils, something that local council

**** Possible New Speaker ****

leaders in Harlow and officers have been crying out for a long time. I thank the hon. Member for his

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. I think we need to recognise we are looking forward. Multiyear settlements are a positive step, but there's still positive step, but there's still ultimately no fix here for local government finances, which is causing enormous problems for local causing enormous problems for local councils. Returning to the issue of Sen, families don't lie awake worrying about governance models. They worry about whether their They worry about whether their child will receive the support they need. They worry about delays to assessments. They worry about whether an EHCP will be delivered in time.

And I welcome the government's commitment to cover 90% of eligible historic high needs deficits accrued by March. But uncertainty remains about whether deficits accumulated in subsequent years will also be covered. Nor does this Budget provide the scale of additional adult social care funding needed to address rising demands. So finally, on local government finance, I want to address business rates. I welcome the principle that more locally generated revenue should remain in local areas, giving councils a stronger stake in local economic success is sensible. However, retaining more revenue does not necessarily mean receiving more funding. The reality is that councils only benefit from the share of business rates they're allowed to retain.

If national policy decision reduces revenues, local government must be appropriately compensated, and we must ensure that areas with fewer financial, with fewer opportunities for growth are not left behind. Rural communities in particular should not find themselves disadvantaged by a system that increasingly relies on local generated revenue. So my. My second test, the jury very much remains out. And my third is whether this Budget will deliver tangible improvements for people's lives, because good growth should be growth that people can actually see and feel. It means a young family being able to afford a home, it means securing a GP appointment.

It means reliable public transport. It means thriving town centres. It means ensuring infrastructure arrives alongside development rather than what we're seeing in reality, which is years afterwards. My constituency of Guildford is home to a strong local economy, world leading innovation and enormous potential. But beneath that prosperity, families are struggling with housing costs. Children growing up in poverty and residents are frustrated by pressures on local services and infrastructure, and that experience is not unique. It's happening across the country. So if the government genuinely wants growth in every postcode, investment must actually translate into improvements. So that includes ensuring the infrastructure that comes with housing development, because people that will actually support that development if they can see it.

It also means growth beyond our major cities. As my hon. Friend mentioned, it has to include our rural communities, and our high streets, of course, must be central as well to that vision of growth. So in conclusion, Madam Deputy Speaker, Liberal Democrats believe that genuine devolution must mean more than transferring power from Whitehall to an equally centralised regional mayor. We want decisions to take closer to the communities, and we want growth that reaches every community. The government recognises these things, but there is still so far to go. We actually want to see tangible change for our residents.

I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Jonathan Hinder thank. You, Madam Deputy Speaker. Like many of my colleagues, I am many of my colleagues, I am delighted with the new Prime Minister's clear ambition to reindustrialise Britain, which can drive economic prosperity in areas drive economic prosperity in areas which really need it. My own constituency, Pendle and Clitheroe, is an example of somewhere that can is an example of somewhere that can drive and reap the benefits from this Reindustrialisation we don't
18:14
Jonathan Hinder Portrait Jonathan Hinder MP (Pendle and Clitheroe, Labour)
-
-
trade financial derivatives in Pendle and Clitheroe. We make aeroplanes, furniture, chemicals, cement, we produce food and not only is manufacturing over a quarter of the jobs, but they are often the best jobs to. However, the truth is that as I speak, Britain is still deindustrialised as vulnerable to global supply shocks as any major economy. Without the sovereign capability in key sectors sectors to look after our basic needs, I am glad to see the Chancellor deliver immediate relief for households, but in the long run we must not just treat the symptoms of this failed economic model with fiscal transfers patching up the gaps but overhaul it entirely.

The British economy remains too reliant on the city foreign money and importing increasingly expensive essentials. True economic security can only come from the British economy being productive enough to convert world leading innovation and research into valuable industrial output. I was pleased to see some of the announcements at the Budget last week reflect this challenge. Serious public investment into productive British industries via the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank, and an acknowledgement of the need for cheaper power and the protections offered to energy intensive manufacturers. Support for vocational apprenticeships essential for skills development in manufacturing and aligned sectors, and a long term partnership with Rolls-Royce, whose Barnoldswick site in my constituency provides well-paid jobs for hundreds of my constituents, a reminder that Britain could still be home to world leading industrial champions in highly competitive sectors.

But there is a lot more to be done. We must be clear about what we mean when we talk about Reindustrialisation, and the clue is in the name. It's about industry. Reindustrialisation must mean increasing physical production of goods needed at home and abroad, and I hope we will see more detail on how we will achieve this in the forthcoming ten year plan. As a short term measure, I would like to see an expansion of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme to a much wider, wider range of manufacturing firms in Britain. We cannot expect our productive sectors to thrive and grow, with energy costs as high as they currently are.

Over the long term, we must improve our energy sovereignty, make it cheaper to build nuclear power stations urgently and reducing our reliance on gas imports by using our own North Sea supply. I would also urge the government to put an ambitious plan for rebuilding our defence industrial base into the ten year plan, alongside a continued commitment to British procurement, building our domestic capacity for defence and other critical sectors can be supported beyond procurement, through investment in equity stakes, taking control of essential inputs, as the government did with British Steel, and accelerating planning decisions for key sectors.

So many of our challenges stem from a lack of quality work in productive industries. It doesn't get talked about enough. I'm rushing through. Sorry. Yeah, go on, I'll give way. I'll give way.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Can I can I thank the hon. Member for giving way. And I agree with his reindustrialisation. He with his reindustrialisation. He talks about all the different jobs and many of them require academic students, students which get degrees. Does does the hon. Member agree that in the Budget it should have been something about student

**** Possible New Speaker ****

have been something about student loans, because students are suffering at this moment in time. Hear, hear. Well, I definitely agree that we

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Well, I definitely agree that we need to come back to plan two loans. I think that's going to become a bigger and bigger issue, and we definitely need to come back to that as a House. As I was saying, so many of our challenges stem from a lack of quality work and productive industries. We don't talk about the link enough, but high streets, crippled by a lack of good jobs that provide a decent income. So people have got money in their pockets to spend in their area. Young people stuck at home, unable to get a place of their own and start a family.

The selling off of British assets to fund a current account deficit. And there is something even more fundamental at play here. When we talk about Reindustrialisation sometimes in these economic policy debates, I think we lose a sense of what really matters in life. Why is it that so often those jobs which appear to be the most socially useless, are paid the most, and those which contribute something so important to our society are often paid the least? If our economy is driving these perverse incentives which push bright young people into careers trading securities. Some people call them BS jobs.

Well, we better change those incentives, haven't we? We need an economic framework that instead of incentivising rent seeking, incentivises, productive, meaningful work. So it is not just providing people with a sense of satisfaction, pride, and a good living, but providing something useful to society. Imagine that. Finally, let me say I know that this is not easy, but our economy cannot go on consuming too much and producing too little. I urge the Chancellor and his Ministers to ensure that Reindustrialisation, which has struck such a chord with the British people, is now turned into a fully fledged plan for national reconstruction.

Thank you.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Leader of the House Edward Leigh. Yes. I agree. With the hon. Gentleman about Reindustrialisation, but you don't Reindustrialise Scunthorpe in my neighbouring constituency by screwing it with the highest energy screwing it with the highest energy costs in Europe. Nor do you reindustrialise by simply exporting reindustrialise by simply exporting our carbon, by importing oil. And that's why we need to get on with that's why we need to get on with Rosebank now. I came, of course, with a load of figures about the rising tide of debt, that the tax burden rising to 38% of GDP, the 4.3 billion tax rate on landlords.

But we know all these figures. What are we going to do about it now? Traditionally, governments and I've seen so many governments come and
18:20
Edward Leigh Portrait Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP (Gainsborough, Conservative)
-
-
go get the bad news out first. And this government still has three years to go. I don't quite know why years to go. I don't quite know why we got over 100 tiny policy changes, but we're not actually fixing the fundamental problems of this country now. So get out the bad news now. I was told by a colleague news now. I was told by a colleague today that actually the Prime Minister is being very shrewd about this. We live in a tick tock generation. So you just let out a generation. So you just let out a little policy announcement every week.

You keep people happy, you delay decisions. But is that good government? No, it may be good politics, but is it good government? We all know that society is breaking down because people feel that some people are abusing the system. We had the whole statement this afternoon about legal and illegal migration, and we know what how strongly people feel about that, but they feel very strongly in working class constituencies about so many people abusing the system, and they feel particularly strongly about young people who are not in work and education or in training. Now, I agree with the government.

 You can't solve this problem with what they call crude benefit cuts, but there has to be some balance in the system. Work training has to be worthwhile and therefore we cannot dodge this issue of the amount of benefits and the level of benefits paid to young people. But I was reassured by the front page of the times today that the government is looking at what's going on in the Netherlands. So. Right. We're not going to have just crude cuts. We've got to get these young people into training, given medical help, helped into work, and not just dismissed by the system by a tick box exercise, filling in people actually seen by a real person and helped into education or training, or if they if they can't get into that, some form of workfare.

The trouble is that half the benefit bill, half the benefit bill is taken up with the State Pension. Now, for years I've been one of the few people who's questioned the triple lock. It's amazing how while people are Ministers, they defend the triple lock. The moment they cease to be Ministers, they say it's unaffordable. So we know that the government, and they've listened to all the economic advice on this, that eventually the triple lock has to come to an end. But again, why delay it? And you can't get rid of the triple lock. And imagine that that's going to pay for a national care service.

The vast cost of a national care service, the NHS writ large. It would be better actually to say to pensioners, and this is a fair deal, which I think they would accept that your State Pension should, as a proportion of the economy, stay roughly the same. So we're not bankrupting the nation. The State Pension will go up by just how much the economy rises every year, which is a fair system. And if you're going to save money, what we need now is not a we don't want to delay these decisions till 2030. What we need now, surely, is to get old and frail people out of expensive hospitals and get them into sort of new cottage hospitals.

You don't need to put them into all singing, dancing, PFI, hugely expensive hospitals have more cottage hospitals where old people can be looked after in a caring and loving way, and to relieve the health service. And if you were going to save the National Health Service, if you were going to save one thing, the average price of houses in my constituency is just £200,000. What really upsets people, actually, what really upsets them is that their whole inheritance they want to pass to their children is going to go on care costs. So let's go back to the old idea of having a cap on the total amount you pay for your care.

There is a there is a there is a way forward. Madam Deputy Speaker, I think we can work together to get young people back into work, back into training, and we can also reassure old people that they will be looked after in their old age.
18:25
Catherine Atkinson Portrait Catherine Atkinson MP (Derby North, Labour)
-
-
Catherine Atkinson Secretary. Speaker, this Budget was great news Speaker, this Budget was great news for Dalby, particularly the £2.5 billion investment with Rolls-Royce to develop the next generation of aircraft engine and keep us at the forefront of the reindustrialisation of this country. But I rise to speak about justice because whether it is growth in every postcode or high streets being brought back to life, or getting everyone in and off the streets for Christmas, none can be achieved without investment in and reform of our justice system. The Prime Minister's first instruction on entering Downing Street was to end rough sleeping, an objective that is inspiring and ambitious and right, and the near doubling of the 442 million to £874 million in the Budget showed intent.

But here's where our justice system comes in. Because a thousand people every month go straight from prison into homelessness, many rough sleeping. And that has gone up and has outpaced the increase in the number leaving prison, being homeless doubles the risk of reoffending and makes the goal of ending rough sleeping unobtainable. And that is why we need a duty for rehabilitation services to to ensure that on leaving, they do not go on to the streets and into

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Worklessness. I commend the hon. Lady for what is putting forward in government, is putting forward in government, for what they're doing, for the homelessness and particularly. But does she agree that there should be a priority for those veterans, especially who come out of prison and get lost in the system and nobody catches them where they are? nobody catches them where they are? Because I see that happening in my constituency regularly. So to address that issue should be given.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The priority within the homelessness scheme that's coming forward. I thank the hon. Member for his contribution, and I do acknowledge that there are many, many categories of people that we want to ensure have a real priority. But the government has already got the ambition to halve the number of prisoners who are released into homelessness. But if we are to end rough sleeping and break cycles of offending, then that ambition isn't ambitious enough. Madam Deputy Speaker, just as it's morally offensive to us when we see someone who is sleeping rough in the doorway of a really high end hotel.

 It should also offend us when we see the global elite and blue chip companies coming to Britain for our world class justice, while our own citizens are often left outside that justice system getting rough justice. We should be rightly proud and the Treasury, mindful of the huge contribution that international cases make to our country's economy. In 2024 alone, the UK legal sector contributed £42.6 billion to the economy. The UK is the largest legal services market in Europe and second only to the US globally. But we should be using some of that revenue to improve access to early legal advice, to legal aid, and to address the dire shortage in duty solicitors for our own people.

Lastly, there was positive news for our high streets, with the Budget taking many of our cafes and pubs and beauty salons completely out of business rates, and the Home Secretary is putting police back on the front line. And we have reversed the effective decriminalisation of shoplifting under the previous government. But the justice system needs to work much faster for all of us, including our high streets and town and city centres, where people need to feel safe in order to want to be there and spend money there. But as well as fast, it needs to be fair, and it is not right for people on minimum wage to face custodial sentences potentially going up to two years custody and not qualify for legal aid, leaving them unrepresented in court.

I am conscious of the number of people that want to speak in this debate, so I will continue. Mr. speaker, it is not said often enough that it's this country's dogged belief in fair rules for everyone. That is also a secret ingredient to business success. If your assets are protected, your contracts enforced, your disputes decided, that's one less risk. But access to justice needs to be there for our small business as well as larger multinationals. So there is more to do in our justice system. There is more that is needed, and I acknowledge that in the last spending review, the Budget for justice was increased by an average of 2.4%.

But in the 20 tens, justice spending was cut by 33% in real terms. Spending today is only on par with what it was 24 years ago in 2002, and it is lower per person than it was at that time. The IFS have said that the Ministry of Justice would need an additional £3.6 billion just to equal its spending per person before austerity. Many of the challenges facing the justice system today have their roots in that period of austerity. So I will be knocking on the Treasury Ministers door. As hard as my children were knocking on our neighbours doors last week at Halloween.

Because it's not trick or treat, it's common sense and essential that we need to act now to avoid a jump scare later on.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Bradley Thomas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, this Budget was a missed opportunity for the residents of Bromsgrove and the villages, and there was next to nothing in there there was next to nothing in there for my residents, nor for the hard working business owners and businesses across the constituency. The frank reality is that businesses across the country and in my area there really struggling in my area there really struggling right now, Mr. Speaker, and we've heard in recent months the true colours come out from Labour Ministers. We heard over the weekend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury stating that those who employ people are not workers themselves.

Well, I'm not sure that the carpenters, the plumbers, the cafe owners, the florists in my constituency would agree with that. They're frankly insulted by it. And we heard the Working Pensions Secretary reveal earlier this year
18:31
Bradley Thomas Portrait Bradley Thomas MP (Bromsgrove, Conservative)
-
-
that all Labour MPs want to do is ask the question, who can we tax ask the question, who can we tax more to spend more money on welfare and how businesses and how people feel actually matters? Mr. speaker, feel actually matters? Mr. speaker, that's the biggest litmus test of all for the government. We know that inflation is up, government that inflation is up, government spending is up, unemployment is up, welfare is up, debt is up. How people and businesses feel is what people and businesses feel is what matters. And that will be the ultimate litmus test for the government.

Following the Budget, we heard hospitality UK give the reality that despite the government's announcement on business rates, only 1 in 10 will be affected. The government needs to go further. They need to endorse the Conservatives full exemption for hundreds of thousands of retailers, pubs, hospitality businesses because wherever I go in my constituency, I am repeatedly being told that businesses operating in these sectors are not recruiting, they're not recruiting because the cost of employment has gone up dramatically, red tape has gone up, and even the voice of business through organisations such as make UK are clear.

Make UK have said that the Budget was a failed opportunity to reindustrialise and the Federation of Small Business said that there was nothing in this Budget to make hiring more affordable. So despite seeing unemployment go up by 276,000 in the last two years, we are destined to see it go up even more. The government needs to get off the backs of businesses and get on their side. And I'd like to, if I can, Mr. Speaker, briefly touch upon the government's proposals for devolution and local government reorganisation. The government announced something last week for Worcestershire that will not improve the quality of people's lives.

It will increase the cost and bureaucracy of delivering local government services. It is not in Worcestershire's interests. And on the topic of devolution, Worcestershire hasn't got them there. It doesn't want them there. It's not a geography that would best suit a mayoralty. We don't need more politicians in this country. We need fewer Mr Speaker and devolution. Devolution. I say that as a politician we need fewer politicians in this country and we need the system to work better. Devolution, as the government have outlined, is a complete. I will give way.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank the honourable. I thank the hon. Member for giving way. But with the the government's local with the the government's local government reorganisation will be abolishing the two tier system that he has in his constituency of Bromsgrove, thereby reducing the very number of local councillors. So reducing the number of So reducing the number of politicians. Which part of that did he miss? In the announcements that have been made over the last 12

**** Possible New Speaker ****

months? Yes. If if the hon. Lady had listened to what I was saying, I say Worcestershire doesn't want a mayor. The the government's proposals for devolution are nothing more than a devolution are nothing more than a cop out to absolve Westminster of its failures to tackle the big issues facing this country, and issues facing this country, and that's the theme that runs through this Budget. Mr. speaker, politicians don't create jobs. I politicians don't create jobs. I read in the times this morning that the government believes that mayors and local leaders can be empowered to create jobs.

It's absolute rubbish. It's businesses that create jobs. Every single penny and pound of taxation received by the government is generated. Ultimately, through the endeavours of private enterprise. We have to get to a point where, once again, risk taking and entrepreneurial ism are not frowned upon. It should be embraced, it should be encouraged. So if the government wants to tax something, it has to create that wealth and prosperity first. The government needs to get off the backs of businesses, get on their side.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Here, here, here. We now come to a maiden speech,

**** Possible New Speaker ****

We now come to a maiden speech, sir Diwali.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

sir Diwali. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make my maiden speech during a project today, a speech during a project today, a labour Budget that speaks directly to some of the challenges that first brought me into politics and
18:35
Sagal Abdi-Wali Portrait Sagal Abdi-Wali MP (Holborn and St Pancras, Labour)
-
-
first brought me into politics and public service. It's a profound honour to rise for the first time in this House, as the Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras. The place that has been home for most of my life. I came to Camden with my family as a child. Refugee is where I grew up, where I went to school, made friends and discovered the opportunities that would shape my life. This Budget speaks to the issues that matter deeply to the people I represent, from the security of a home to the opportunities available to the next generation by so many young people.

 Growing up in Camden, I spent my time making friends through the universal language of football. On the football pitch, you quickly learn that it does not matter where someone comes from, but what

**** Possible New Speaker ****

language they speak or what their family does for a living. What matters is whether they turn up for their team-mates. Yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Those friendships taught me something important about community long before I entered politics. That we are stronger when we look That we are stronger when we look beyond our differences and recognise that we have what we have in common. As I came of age, Camden in common. As I came of age, Camden continued to give me opportunities and a sense of belonging, and it gave me the responsibility. Responsibility to give something Responsibility to give something Responsibility to give something back. From the very. Thank you. For more than 20 years I've tried to honour that responsibility for community work and public service, campaigning for change and serving in local government, ultimately as leader of Camden Council.

That experience has taught me that beyond every policy and every Budget line and every every statistic is a person whose life can be changed by the decisions made in this House. Yeah. Mr. Speaker, Holborn and St Pancras is a place of extraordinary character. What makes our constituency so special is not just the landmarks, but the extraordinary variety of places and people from the leafy streets and village feel of Primrose Hill through the independent spirit and community life of Kentish Town, to the neighbourhoods and estates of Haverstock and the historic streets, theatres and cultural institutions of Covent Garden.

Every part has its own story to tell. We are home to thriving local businesses, historic markets, places of faith and community centres. We have students and academics, artists and entrepreneurs and families who've lived here for generations, and people who've made this place their home from every corner of the world.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

That diversity is our strength. Yes. It's one of our greatest strengths. It's reflected in our languages, our food, our festivals, our music, and that everyday way that we all come together to look out for one another. It is what out for one another. It is what makes Holborn and St Pancras not simply a collection of neighbourhoods, but a community. Yeah, the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm began life as a railway engine shed before becoming one of the country's most well known cultural country's most well known cultural venues that also provides creative access to young people. Legends from LED Zeppelin to David Bowie have played there.

It's a reminder that places just like people can be given new opportunities and go on to achieve remarkable things. And in Kings Cross stands the historic German and German gymnasium, where sporting events were held at the National Olympic Games in 1866, long before the modern Olympic Games came into being, and with a sporting legacy stretching back over a century. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to make a little history of my own as Holborn and St Pancras

**** Possible New Speaker ****

first Tottenham Hotspur. Bring in.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Bring in. Bringing an end to a rather lengthy period of Arsenal and West lengthy period of Arsenal and West Ham dominance in this House. Mr. speaker, Sporting Spurs had a dictionary definition. It would dictionary definition. It would read something like to remain eternally hopeful, despite overwhelming evidence, and to return every season, convinced that this will be finally your year. I hope that that combination of optimism and sheer refusal to give up will serve me well in this House. Of course, the West Ham and Arsenal dominance I mentioned came from the distinguished Labour MPs who represented this constituency before me.

I'm immensely proud to follow in the footsteps of two men who've given so much to Holborn and St Pancras, and whose contributions to our community and to my party deserve to be celebrated. The late, great Frank Dobson represented Holborn and St Pancras represented Holborn and St Pancras for more than 33 years. He was a tireless champion for local people and a proud defender of our NHS and public services, and a politician who never lost sight of the people who were behind the policies. I have a childhood memory of meeting Frank at a community event. I had no idea at the time how much of an important political figure he was.

To me, he was simply a nice, bearded man who took the time to speak to a child. And looking back at that small encounter captured something important about his connection with the community. He was a familiar face to generations of residents, someone who understood the challenges facing working people and was never afraid to stand up for them. Sir Keir Starmer continued that tradition, representing our constituency for more than a decade, from leading the Labour Party and leading the Labour Party back from opposition back into government, introducing generational reforms to renters and workers rights, and lifting half a million children out of poverty.

I've had the privilege of working alongside Keir through our local labour movement, and I've seen another side of his public service watching him quietly console bereaved families who lost, loved young loved ones, and hearing his determination to end youth violence. I pay tribute to both men with enormous gratitude and respect. I will do my utmost to honour the trust of generations have put into them, placed in them and the residents have now placed in me. It is also an extraordinary honour to become the first woman, black person and Muslim to represent Holborn and St Pancras in Parliament and the first British woman to sit, a British Somali woman to sit in this house.

I take great pride in those milestones and being elected during Black History Month in a constituency whose town hall proudly commemorates Claudia Jones, a pioneering black woman who

**** Possible New Speaker ****

founded and hosted Britain's first Caribbean carnival there. Yeah. I take pride in them because of

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I take pride in them because of what they might mean to a young woman and a young girl growing up in our constituency today, I want in our constituency today, I want her to see that her background does not define the limits of her ambition, and there is no ceiling to what she can achieve and what

**** Possible New Speaker ****

to what she can achieve and what public and the public life belongs to her to. Here. Mr. speaker, one of the issues

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Mr. speaker, one of the issues that first drove me into politics ten years ago was seeing the rise in homelessness alongside people sleeping rough on our streets. Families and young people are facing a housing crisis that leaves too many struggling to find secure, affordable and affordable homes and a place to call home. This is why I strongly welcome my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister's determination to end rough sleeping. This Budget turns that determination into action. With nearly £900 million to tackle rough sleeping and an additional 1.5 billion to support the delivery of

**** Possible New Speaker ****

social and affordable homes for constituencies such as mine. This investment is essential. Yes.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Yes. Mr. Speaker, there is another issue that matters deeply to me the strength of our communities and the bonds that hold us together. Growing up in Camden, I saw different people from different backgrounds, cultures and faiths build support networks and look out build support networks and look out for one another. I saw how diversity enriches us, our lives, diversity enriches us, our lives, and how cohesion is built through everyday acts of kindness, friendship and solidarity. But that cohesion is hard won and we cannot take it for granted. During the election campaign, I experienced attempts to question people's belonging, to show division, to turn differences into reasons for suspicion and hostility.

We must stand firmly against the hateful and divisive forces that seek to pull our communities apart, because hope is not naive. It's what gives

**** Possible New Speaker ****

us the courage to change lives for the better. Yeah, yeah. Mr. Speaker, my parents taught

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Mr. Speaker, my parents taught me that hard work to to work hard and always give something back to the community that has given me so much. I want every young person in much. I want every young person in our constituency to have the opportunities I had. I want families to have secure homes, young people to have access to good jobs and apprenticeships, and I want them and our public service to always be there for people when always be there for people when they need them most. To represent this community in Parliament is an extraordinary privilege.

Mr. speaker, Camden gave me hope and opportunity. Now, as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, I will pass

**** Possible New Speaker ****

that hope and opportunity to others and give them the same chance. Thank you very much. Hey. Sir.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Sir. Alec Shelbrooke thank you, Mr. Speaker. And may I say it's a genuine pleasure to follow the hon. genuine pleasure to follow the hon. Lady for Saint Pancras and Holborn on an excellent maiden speech. As a on an excellent maiden speech. As a West Ham fan, Mr. Speaker, I understand the. It's the optimism that kills you, but she's a Spurs that kills you, but she's a Spurs fan. I think I'll leave it right there after last season, but I also congratulate. It is not easy. Following the footsteps of Prime Minister fighting against the leader of another National party.
18:44
Alec Shelbrooke Portrait Rt Hon Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP (Wetherby and Easingwold, Conservative)
-
-
But as she also pointed out, Mr. Speaker, the racial attacks on her leading up to that election were absolutely disgraceful. And I'm sure that the vast majority of sure that the vast majority of people in this House stand in solidarity with her. But I wish her a successful career in this House, a successful career in this House, and I'm sure she'll be of a great asset to it. Now, Mr. Speaker, asset to it. Now, Mr. Speaker, today's debate is about growth in every postcode. But but I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that what I want to focus on today is the genuine threat of war that threatens this country, and that the Budget has not addressed the defence issues that must be addressed, because we could carry on saying, we've got a plan, to have a plan and kicking things off down the road, but that hides itself from the reality of what is going on in the world.

Just today we have seen a cyber attack across at least six European countries that has destroyed tens of hundreds of millions of pounds of frozen and refrigerated stock through a cyber attack. And we know those cyber attacks are taking place every day, and yet we are still delaying the real investment that needs to take place now. I was in Australia with the NATO parliamentary Assembly recently. They have 4% inflation. They have a cost of living as the number one priority, and 55% say immigration is too high. And yet they have taken that decision to make sure they invest in their defence investment plans because they have recognised, and it was the last time they did this was in the 1980s.

 They felt that their geography gave them the security, and now they've recognised that it does not, and they are in the process of doubling their Navy. They're going for three air defence destroyers, six frigates, submarine hunters, 11 general purpose frigates, six large barge missile barges, eight launching vessels to protect army capability. And, of course, with Aukus, they've built in a 50% contingency. Germany is going to have 15 frigates by 2035. Finland is going to have four new corvettes. By 2035, Norway is going to have five new frigates, six new submarines and 28 standard vessels by 2035.

And yet we say we are aiming to get to 3.5% by 2035. Now, I have said it before and I will say it again in this House, I think the target of percentage of GDP is a false and wrong target, and it was only brought in in 2014 to satisfy the Americans. And actually, you know, there's plenty of us have lot to complain about President Trump, but at least he actually did get European countries spending because as far back as Eisenhower, they were saying that Europe needed to spend more on defence. George Bush made the speech in 2007, and Barack Obama made the speech in 2014 when it came in.

What really matters is article three. Everybody talks about article five, about the defence. Let me just point out to the House, Madam Deputy Speaker, that article five being triggered is the choice of a nation as to what they contribute to collective defence. Everybody thinks America of piling with its troops and its tanks and its planes and its warships. It could simply say, we will provide the intelligence that would satisfy article five. Article three says you must be able to defend your borders for three weeks. NATO is a reinforcement thing, and so we simply cannot carry on by saying, we're going to do a defence review and investment review in a year's time, doing the review in a year's time, not actually getting there.

I mean, it's welcome news today that perhaps there is going to be double shifts done at the dockyards to try and produce more frigates, but this should be happening now. And in the time I've got remaining. I will say this I have stood in this House before, and I have said that when we cut from 5% of GDP, which was just a consequence of what we needed to spend it on, that 3% of GDP went into health and welfare, and that it would be a brave politician who stood up and said we should cut those things, especially welfare, to invest it in defence.

Well, that is exactly what the Leader of the Opposition is now saying, because the time has more than passed, that the threat of war in this country is absolutely on the horizon, and yet we don't want it to happen. So we bury our head in the sand and say, we can delay spending costs. imminent.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Yeah, yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I call Lorraine Beavers. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. When I ask people in my constituency how they feel about the economy, they tell me that their bills are too high and their rent or mortgage takes too much of their pay. I am glad that the their pay. I am glad that the Budget takes some first steps to address these issues. Four years
18:49
Lorraine Beavers Portrait Lorraine Beavers MP (Blackpool North and Fleetwood, Labour)
-
-
ago, the party opposite led by Liz, crashed the economy and sent crashed the economy and sent mortgages and bills soaring. Before that, the party opposite spent more that, the party opposite spent more than a decade cutting our armed forces and public services. They left us poorly defended in every sense. The Chancellor's Budget makes a good start in addressing makes a good start in addressing these problems. The immediate help for the towards their energy bills this winter is a welcome relief. The changes to business rates will also have a huge impact on businesses in my constituency.

On devolution, I can only hope that Lancashire will have a mayor by 2028 to share in the proposals that were announced, I would urge reform led Lancashire County Council to grab this amazing opportunity for Lancashire. We have been left behind for too long. Reform led Lancashire County

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Council needs to stop infighting and start fighting for Lancashire. Instead they.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Instead they. How I want. However, I want to come back to how much further we come back to how much further we need to go to rebuild Britain. The Prime Minister rightly identified Prime Minister rightly identified the industrialisation of Britain as one of the reasons places like Blackpool North and Fleetwood have Blackpool North and Fleetwood have not shared in the proceeds of growth as much as they should. He is right that a change of policy is required, but right now Britain is de-industrialized faster than any of our neighbours. Domestic manufacturing capacity is an essential source of our national security.

British manufacturers face the highest electricity prices in Europe. I know many colleagues on these benches have asked the Chancellor to look at the merits of extending the British industrial competitive scheme to all manufacturing firms. I hope the front bench looks carefully again at the proposals and sits down with the TUC and others to discuss how this could be implemented. I will finish by saying that this Budget offers practical help with people's bills this winter.

The ten year plan and the spending review must do the same for their jobs. Thank you.
18:52
Pippa Heylings Portrait Pippa Heylings MP (South Cambridgeshire, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
I call Pippa Heylings. >> Thank you. As we head into winter with bills rising again in January, households and businesses across the country are really across the country are really worried and this Budget needed to match the scale of the energy and climate challenges. But we as climate challenges. But we as Liberal Democrats are really concerned that it doesn't. While the standing charge removal and the proposed energy bill cost control framework are welcome. Struggling households can't wait until the next spending review in 2027 for policy costs to be taken off bills. One of the quickest ways to reduce bills while supporting electrification.

And you could also. The government opposite, could also have introduced the Liberal Democrat Essential Energy Guarantee to protect basic household energy needs. If we're truly to break free from the volatile fossil fuel prices driven by despots and Trump's stupid wars, we agree we must accelerate renewables, grid connections and electrification. And that is why I am disturbed by the seeming inconsistencies in the Budget with this approach. Firstly, the Treasury says it's set in an entirely new path on energy, whilst Ministers are telling us its clean energy ambitions remain unchanged. With the R eight auction Budget due within weeks, Ministers must urgently clarify what this means for investment certainty in floating offshore wind import generation, which is critical for supply costs and supply chains.

 Secondly, cheaper energy does not automatically lead to electrification on its own. So as winter approaches, I'd like to ask why is the Treasury cutting the flagship Warm Homes plan? The surest way to electrify heating in our homes and reduce wasted wind energy? The Budget slashes 1 billion of capital funding from the programme, and it reintroduces VAT on clean technologies from 2027, effectively creating a solar panel and heat pump tax. Madam Deputy Speaker, I would also like to ask the Minister to confirm or deny reports that a further £1.5 billion could be removed from the Warm Homes Plan.

Financial transactions, funding. That's the very zero interest loan schemes that have just been launched and lauded. Madam Deputy Speaker, With 90% of domestic bill increases since 2020 linked to wholesale gas price spikes. Despite and contrary to all the protestations from the Conservatives and reform, the answer is clear a national electrification strategy making it easier, not harder, for households to move away from fossil fuels. This Budget should have advanced

**** Possible New Speaker ****

that mission. Instead, it risks setting Britain back. A Karl Turner.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

A Karl Turner. Elmira thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker, and it's a pleasure to speak in this debate. pleasure to speak in this debate. And let me add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Holborn and to the hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras for her excellent speech. Now, this is a Budget to create growth in every postcode, and growth in every postcode, and nowhere is better placed than Newcastle to manufacture, innovate and grow if given the tools and opportunities to do so.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has clearly recognised this allocating funding for investment in giving welcome
18:55
Chi Onwurah Portrait Dame Chi Onwurah MP (Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West, Labour)
-
-
attention to our region's economic potential. With the announcement of the International Investment Summit the International Investment Summit in Gateshead next spring. So we have always been a city that builds have always been a city that builds the innovates, that delivers, whether it's advance manufacturing, engineering, digital technology, engineering, digital technology, energy or professional services. And it was growing up in Newcastle, surrounded by the legacy of great Geordie engineers and inventors in a culture that championed making and building things. That inspired me to become an engineer. Now, the North East holds world leading companies and research institutions.

 But after 14 years of conservative austerity, my constituents still find significant barriers to social mobility and opportunity. Newcastle Central and West ranked bottom of 543 constituencies for attainment and outcomes in the Crossing Paths report of 2026. Having grown up on a council estate myself, I am heartbroken that the life chances of disadvantaged young people are so curtailed. One fifth of of of those aged 16 to 24 are characterised as Neet in the North east. And I echo the Chancellor in saying that I refuse to write them off. Unlike the last conservative government, I look forward to the upcoming publication of Alan Milburn's report.

He was recently in Newcastle and I know that he seeks to make a real difference to the intelligent and ambitious young people I meet regularly across Newcastle, Central and West, and it's a really difficult time for so many families across my constituency. Squeezed by increasing bills in energy, housing etc. so it's great to see the Budget directly addresses this. 60,000 properties in in the constituency we will receive £100 towards their energy bills this winter, and I welcome the £1.5 billion in additional funding to deliver social and affordable housing. And of course, the 20 million in Pride in Place funding for Elswick in my constituency, I.

 After years of fighting for the investment we deserve, our region will no longer have to pick up the crumbs from the Whitehall table with the new North East Good Growth Fund helping our fantastic mayor, Kim McGuinness, to directly improve our public transport and deliver major regional projects by giving 20 billion for the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank. I hope that this supports start up spinouts and research facilities in the North East, not simply in the Golden Triangle, but I do wish there were two further areas that the Chancellor could have gone. Have have provided more support.

 Again, the North East has the highest attainment gap in education with London since records began, and to challenge this I would like to see further investment on the scale of the London Challenge from 2003 in the incredible young people in Newcastle, Central and West. Secondly, there was significant support for businesses, particularly small businesses in the Budget, but I would have liked to see even more. Growing businesses will provide jobs for our young people, and small businesses have been heavily hit by higher taxes and less disposable income from many constituents. But finally, I hope the government's the Chancellor's 15 billion Defence Investment Plan will be used to support regional growth and investment, as he has promised, and particularly to address the unacceptable truth that the North East sends the highest proportion of young people into the armed forces and yet receives the lowest proportion of invest defence investment spending.

Something that I will be thinking of in this Remembrance Week. They might. The young people and everyone in the North East deserves growth in every postcode and I'm grateful to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for providing the first steps in achieving that. Thank you.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Aphra Brandreth thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. This Budget was a missed opportunity for our rural economy. Yet again, this government has failed to back it. And my has failed to back it. And my message to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor is simple stop saying every postcode matters and saying every postcode matters and start showing it in Chester South and Eddisbury around our farms sit and Eddisbury around our farms sit the contractors, vets, farm shops, pubs and family businesses that keep our villages alive.

I will if I can.
19:00
Aphra Brandreth Portrait Aphra Brandreth MP (Chester South and Eddisbury, Conservative)
-
-
I commend hon. Lady on bringing >> I commend hon. Lady on bringing agriculture and the farming life to this debate today. It's really important and not only is the first important and not only is the first person today to do that, so I congratulate her on that. The family inheritance tax is has will have a very destructive impact upon farming in Northern Ireland. Those are farmers union. I declare an interest as a member of Ulster Farmers Union will be forced into a tax bracket, not because the family is wealthy, but because the value of the land and the buildings has risen.

On paper, hard working families are asset rich, cash poor and the family farms that I live amongst and represent in Northern

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Ireland will be the ones that will feel the pain of this government. I thank the hon. Member for

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank the hon. Member for giving way. He is a champion for farmers in his community and he's absolutely right. The Chancellor absolutely right. The Chancellor had the chance to repeal the vindictive family farm tax and vindictive family farm tax and family business tax, but chose not to. Nearly 9 in 10 rural businesses have paused investment, and when investment stops, the consequences ripple through the whole rural economy. Conservatives would scrap these damaging taxes. Madam Deputy Speaker they also had the chance to give small businesses some much needed breathing space. They didn't. Our rural businesses, particularly in hospitality and tourism, are being squeezed by rising costs, higher taxes and more regulation.

And when businesses are struggling, they stop investing, they stop expanding, and crucially, they stop taking on staff. These are the businesses that give so many young people their first step into work. We should be making that easier, Madam Deputy Speaker, not harder. That is the difference between the government and the Conservatives. We would halve the jobs tax for under 25 seconds and create 100,000 new apprenticeships, because the best way to get young people into work is to back the businesses willing to employ them. This Budget did neither. Then there is the cost of fuel.

The fuel duty freeze is welcome, but the Conservatives kept it frozen for 14 years because we understand how much rural communities rely on their cars. And it's not just fuel for transport. On Saturday, I was out chatting to residents in Audlem, and so many of the people I spoke to are living off grid. Heating oil has nearly doubled this year in price, and families are wondering whether they can afford to fill their tanks before winter. Rural communities are being left out in the cold, quite literally, and this Budget offered them nothing. That is the real cost of this Budget in the countryside.

Investment on pause. Young people not taken on homes going cold, and family farms wondering whether they will survive. The contrast could not be clearer. Conservatives would back our family farms, cut taxes on jobs, bring down energy bills through our cheap power plan and get our rural economy growing again, the NFU president described this Budget as tinkering while Rome is burning. And he was right. Our farmers, rural businesses and families don't need more promises, more consultations or more plans for the future. Madam Deputy Speaker, Rural Britain needs action now and this

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Budget has failed to deliver it. Yeah, yeah yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Yeah, yeah yeah. I call Patricia Ferguson. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. And if I may, I intend to speak on behalf of may, I intend to speak on behalf of my committee, the Scottish Affairs Committee. However, there is one point I would wish to make from my point I would wish to make from my own constituency perspective, and that is that Glasgow West that I represent and am proud to do so,
19:04
Patricia Ferguson Portrait Patricia Ferguson MP (Glasgow West, Labour)
-
-
represent and am proud to do so, has a relatively high level of youth unemployment, a lower than average level of educational qualifications, and a fairly high number of unemployed related benefit claimants. We also do not have access to youth Hub. There are three in the city of Glasgow, but none anywhere near my constituency. So my plea to the government is, can we please have a youth hub? But today's debate is about good growth in every postcode, and I want to look at a particular issue that the Scottish Affairs Committee have spent some time on, and that is about Scotland's space launch sector.

We visited the spaceport last year that's on the island of Unst in Shetland, and we saw for ourselves the potential of the UK's first fully licensed vertical spaceport. What we heard reinforced our view that Scotland is uniquely placed to further the UK's space ambitions, while delivering economic growth on northerly location allows for launch routes over the North Atlantic Ocean, making it particularly well suited to putting satellites into polar orbits. That, combined with our expertise in satellite manufacturing, city of Glasgow. You may be surprised to hear. Produces more satellites than anywhere else in Europe, and Edinburgh's expertise in data in space make us uniquely placed to benefit from this.

But Saxavord also provides a strong foundation for end to end space services for Shetland itself, the economic opportunity is hugely significant, and this Budget talks about the importance of creating jobs across every nation and region of the UK. Saxavord could help sustain an island community by creating skilled jobs and giving young people more opportunities to establish careers locally in a remote community where unreliable connectivity makes economic development and life in general more difficult. This new industry could deliver growth in Shetland's postcodes to. However, the economic growth potential of a space launch capability in Shetland would extend beyond Scotland.

A successful spaceport could attract international investment and create opportunities for suppliers across the whole of the UK. And there is also a national security interest here. Developing a sovereign launch capability would reduce our reliance on overseas providers, but we cannot afford to be complacent. And Saxavord has yet to achieve a successful orbital launch in September this year. Norway's spaceport at Andoya successfully launched satellites into orbit. Now, we should welcome that because it's progress for the European sector. But it raises an important question about whether Scotland has lost its first mover advantage, and what more the government can do to support innovative businesses like Saxavord to realise their economic potential.

During our inquiry, we heard that a sufficient demand to sustain rather more than one European spaceport and a successful launch from Scotland will be important. But the real test will be whether that can be scaled up into a commercial launch service. And that is why I welcome the government's space strategy and their £30 million investment in Saxavord. It is a significant public investment, but it must be wisely spent. Deputy speaker, we have also looked in our committee at fixed links for an island with these great ambitions. There are two ferry journeys before you ever get to Saxavord.

And with those ferries not always being reliable, with the weather often being against us, the islands and Shetland have been looking at whether fixed links will work for them. We think it's something that the government should look at working in conjunction with the Scottish Government and with the Shetland Islands Council, because we think it is absolutely the kind of thing the government's ambition should be looking at. And with.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

An immediate three minute time limit, I call James MacCleary. Thank you, Madam.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, Madam. Deputy Speaker. The Chancellor has promised growth in every has promised growth in every postcode, but those of us in South East could be forgiven for thinking that the government has forgotten that the government has forgotten us altogether. Take London out of the equation and the South East and Sussex in particular, doesn't seem to be part of the government's to be part of the government's infrastructure strategy at all. While London has the highest per Capita public public transport investment in the country. The South East, by contrast, has the lowest of any English region, 11% below the national average.

Where I live in New Haven, nothing stands out more than the 859, the main coastal road that runs the length
19:09
James MacCleary Portrait James MacCleary MP (Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
of East Sussex, passing through Seaford and New Haven, as well as serving the hugely popular Seven Sisters Country Park, which attracts visitors from around the world. The road is vital to the local economy, but DFT figures show local economy, but DFT figures show that more than 19,000 vehicles squeeze along southbound Newhaven every day. Having a massive impact every day. Having a massive impact on neighbourhoods and businesses, the traffic system, designed in the 1970s, is now fundamentally failing 1970s, is now fundamentally failing our coastal communities. Newhaven is a strategic port and Seaford, a town of over 25,000 residents that attracts tens of thousands of visitors to its beautiful beach and serves as a major access point to the famous Seven Sisters cliffs.

The roads are a critical artery for our area and, like all coast roads, is hard to expand in its current location. In 2023, a multi-year road major road network study recommended a package of upgrades, including safety improvements to junctions like Bishopston Road. The county council submitted its business case to government to fund the upgrade package, but that's where it stopped. So my question to the Minister is this will the government commit the money necessary to get the A 259 finally moving and press the Reform Conservative administration at East Sussex County Council to get on with funding immediate improvements like the Bishopstone road junction to boost growth in our area.

The Chancellor has said that he wants more houses to be built as a result of this Budget. But building more houses without necessary infrastructure is a road to nowhere. I'm very clear about this. It is not reasonable or fair to ask residents in my community to just accept more and more housing while they watch their roads clog up, public services deteriorate and can't get access to a GP. Take Ringmer, a beautiful village in my constituency where over 1600 new homes have been proposed as part of the district council's Local Plan process. It's worth knowing the village currently only has 2000 households.

I have heard Ministers refer to people in villages like Ringmer who are concerned about their communities, can possibly cope with so much new housing as NIMBYs. That is grossly unfair and frankly, insulting. If we want house building and growth, then government needs to be offering communities a fair deal, not calling them names. House housing plans must be led by need. Too much housebuilding is just waved through, and sometimes it's not even built at all. If the Chancellor wants to build Britain, he needs to invest in roads, schools, health facilities, public transport to make new houses and the communities for which they are built truly sustainable.

Otherwise we're just building problems for the future. Mr. speaker, this Budget contains many warm words. However, the residents of Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven, Pole and our local villages will judge it based on what actually changes for them.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Yeah. During this josan. Madam Deputy Speaker, I'm pleased that this is such a clear pleased that this is such a clear priority to address cost of living. Over 44,000 households in my Over 44,000 households in my constituency will receive £100 payment to help with their energy bills, and the business rates bills, and the business rates freeze will benefit 52% of retail, hospitality and leisure properties in the West Midlands, including in the West Midlands, including 1198 properties in my constituency.

Madam Deputy Speaker, it is clear
19:12
Gurinder Singh Josan Portrait Gurinder Singh Josan MP (Smethwick, Labour)
-
-
that decision taken by this Labour government and the current and previous Chancellor have been instrumental in keeping UK growth instrumental in keeping UK growth at the top end of growth in all G7 countries. Furthermore, the government has set out an ambitious government has set out an ambitious programme of investment into key industry in the last two years nuclear, green energy defence to nuclear, green energy defence to name a few. But alongside that public investment, these industries will need crucial private will need crucial private investment to grow to their full potential. For this reason, I would have liked to have seen the restoration of the 30% upfront income tax relief for venture capital trusts, which was reduced to 20% at the last Budget.

This relief is vital for supporting British SMEs in the early stages of development. Venture capital trusts already support over 1100 British companies, predominantly in tech sectors, employing over 100,000 people, generating £21.8 billion in revenue in the last year alone. These businesses often have high upfront costs, long development cycles and uncertain terms, which can make conventional finance difficult to secure. Previously, in 2006, when relief was reduced from 40% to 30%, fundraising reduced by around 65% and took 16 years to recover. At last year's Budget, the relief was reduced further from 30% to 20%, and as a result, the industry estimates suggest anywhere between a 3030 to 60% decline in fundraising, which is equivalent to between 1.25 and £2.5 billion less growth equity for UK scale up over the next five years.

Restoring the 30% relief would incentivise investment in SMEs across the country to support government investment, by allowing investment into firms that are crucial to the supply chains that will help secure our place as global leader and build our national resilience and deliver growth in every postcode, every pound invested by Vcts and locks an additional £2.33 in funding from additional sources. The Treasury has already shown a willingness to support small businesses. Indeed, the Chancellor last year did listen to the industry and implemented changes requested by the industry for many years. I hope that the Treasury will consider restoring the relief to 30% as part of a wider industry strategy that supports our ambition strategy that supports our ambition

**** Possible New Speaker ****

for growth in every postcode. Graham Leadbitter Madam Deputy Speaker. Scottish voters were Speaker. Scottish voters were promised change. Instead, this Budget delivers a real terms cut to Budget delivers a real terms cut to Scotland's block Budget of £650 million. It treats Scotland as an afterthought, siphons off our afterthought, siphons off our energy wealth and fails to protect hard working families facing a bitter cost of living crisis this winter. Rather than delivering winter. Rather than delivering economic growth or protecting the vulnerable, this is a Budget of broken promises. Turning first to the cost of living crisis, Madam Deputy Speaker, during the election, Labour explicitly promised to cut household energy bills by £300.

Yet under their watch, energy bills are forecast to surge by 27% in this coming January, taking average annual bills to £2,192 before climbing further to £2,389 by April. Scottish families will face energy bills a whopping £1,275 higher than Labour promised. Even worse, the Chancellor's decision to replace standing charges with higher gas prices creates a deeply unfair geographical penalty. Recent YouGov polling shows that 84% of people in Scotland already had to turn their
19:15
Graham Leadbitter Portrait Graham Leadbitter MP (Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey, Scottish National Party)
-
-
heating on this year, compared to 59% in London. And independent analysis from the Scottish analysis from the Scottish Parliament confirms over 800,000 Scottish households face higher gas bills. Under these changes, Scots bills. Under these changes, Scots had effectively been forced to pay higher bills to subsidise warmer homes in the south of England. This homes in the south of England. This Budget ignores the 142,000 Scottish households who rely on heating oil, leaving them exposed to soaring leaving them exposed to soaring fuel costs with negligible support at the pumps, drivers face a similar squeeze. Since July, diesel has rocketed by £0.34 per litre to over £2 a litre in many locations, leaving diesel drivers £130 worse off each year.

Regrettably, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are frankly asleep at the wheel. Madam Deputy Speaker, nowhere is Westminster's contempt for Scotland's economic future clearer than in the decision to axe grant funding for the Acorn carbon capture project in Peterhead. Despite explicit promises that capital was secured, the government has removed Acorn grant funding out of the £200 million promised by Ministers. A mere £12 million in grant funding was delivered, with the rest now being converted to a loan or possibly maybe, equity proposals. This continues a 20 year history of Westminster betrayals, from Gordon Brown to the Tories to Acorn being snubbed, carbon capture projects left to left on the scrapheap all over the place.

Madam Deputy Speaker, this deal is a direct blow to just transition. The Treasury and its Budget documents is banked £5.1 billion in revenue from Scottish oil and gas fields over decades. More than £400 billion in oil and gas revenue flowed from Scotland's waters into Westminster's hands, with the Chancellor admitting that a Scottish sovereign wealth fund would today be worth £1 trillion had that wealth been properly invested, as Norway chose to do. Every single penny generated from Scotland's natural resources should be reinvested in Scotland to secure a genuinely just transition to

**** Possible New Speaker ****

renewables future. Thank you. Madam Deputy Speaker. Now, it's fair to say my

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Now, it's fair to say my constituents in Ealing Southall won't all have been glued to the telly last Wednesday to watch the Chancellor speak. Instead, due to Chancellor speak. Instead, due to wars abroad, many of them will have been trying their best to feed hungry kids off at the half term, or stressing about whether to turn or stressing about whether to turn the heating on or not, because after years of austerity, my constituents have spent more than a constituents have spent more than a decade too worried about their daily lives to be able to pay much attention to Budget Day and all the talk of GDP and OBR and CPI doesn't seem to have any impact on their
19:18
Deirdre Costigan Portrait Deirdre Costigan MP (Ealing Southall, Labour)
-
-
lives. But this Budget changes that by cutting energy bills and giving 34,300 households in my constituency a £100 council tax rebate, this Budget recognises the rebate, this Budget recognises the families in Ealing Southall worried about getting through this winter and the next by reducing tariffs on and the next by reducing tariffs on everyday items. This Budget recognises the hard choices mums and Ealing Southall have to make and Ealing Southall have to make every day by permanently raising the tax free mileage rate to £0.55. This Budget recognises the many nurses, plumbers and care workers in Ealing Southall who use their car for work and by allowing carers to work more hours without losing their entire benefits.

This Budget recognises the situation of many carers in Ealing Southall. Now the Leader of the Opposition dismisses these changes, but in doing so she simply shows how out of touch she is with the reality of working people's lives. Small changes like this matter. But Madam Deputy Speaker, as well as giving people breathing space, this Budget also takes the big decisions needed to finally undo the damage of 14 years of the Conservatives investing in skills and apprenticeships, so that my constituents in Ealing Southall can get better paid jobs is the best way to protect them from the uncertainties of foreign wars and global crises.

And this budget's £15 million investment to restore the Union Learning Fund is one example of this. Now, the Leader of the Opposition dismissed it as a random new scheme employers don't want. In fact, it's a brilliant old scheme that 78% of employers said they were hugely supportive of until the Tories got rid of it. So yet again, the Leader of the Opposition shows how out of touch she is. The new Learning Union Learning Fund will address the challenges of today, and will help reskill the workforce to take on jobs in AI and advanced manufacturing. It will help Somali Uber drivers in my constituency to get help from their union, GMB, when they fear losing their jobs from driverless cars.

This Budget also invests in apprenticeships like Jack and Aiden, who I met when I visited West London College earlier this year. They can see buildings being built outside their window, and the new apprenticeship scheme will help them to work on those sites. Madam Deputy Speaker, Although they might not have been glued to the telly last week, when the kids have all been fed and the elderly parents have been looked after, the working day is done. People in Ealing Southall switched on their telly and their heating, and they saw a government that is giving them not just the breathing space they need to make their lives a little easier right now, but the tools they need to face the future with confidence.
19:21
Blake Stephenson Portrait Blake Stephenson MP (Mid Bedfordshire, Conservative)
-
-
Blake Stephenson thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. working families and young entrepreneurs to remain in Britain after this Budget? That is the question. A constituent put to me at a community meeting I held in Wixams in Mid Bedfordshire last week. So I'd like to start with what I think is the main test that really matters for any Budget. Will it make my constituents richer in five years time than they are today? And having listened to the Chancellor and to the reaction over the weekend, I'm afraid the answer is no. There is simply no confidence whatsoever that this Budget will deliver growth in their postcodes, and it certainly doesn't give hope in their hearts.

Given the Prime Minister is extremely comfortable looking to the past, whether it's the 1970s or 2016 than to the future. I did a little reflecting myself over the weekend and it's fitting that we debate today, this Budget. 40 years on from the Big Bang in 1986, when regulations that were strangling our economy were swept away, making London the powerhouse of global finance it remains today. Opening the City of London to the world and delivering prosperity here at home. The courage of this decision in 1986 benefited every corner of Britain, delivering more jobs, investment and tax revenues that paid for schools, hospitals and public services.

But during my 15 years in the city before coming to this place, I saw firsthand how EU regulations after the credit crunch steadily ratcheted up costs and risks and de-risked our entire economy. The courage and ambition of 1986 has slowly given away to the caution and complexity of 2026, and that is why my hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition is right to say that Britain needs a new economic revolution even bigger than the Big Bang. But where are we today? The OBR says that the tax burden will reach a record 38.6% of GDP.

The Budget raises tax on savings. Rental income again doubles the bank surcharge and leaves Labour's damaging, damaging jobs tax untouched after Labour's first Budget. I told the House it was a jobs cutting Budget. 1.7 million people older than 16 are now unemployed, up 276,000 under this government, and vacancies are at the lowest level since 2014 and last year, about 136,000 more British nationals left the country than came home, two thirds of them under 25 under 35. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor may have changed, but this Budget makes clear Labour haven't. They are still picking the pockets of working people to pay for welfare.

This was plain to hear this weekend, as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury redefined working people to exclude employees. It may be a new team at the despatch box, but their contempt for British business and British business owners in this

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Budget is as strong as ever. Peter Dowd Gloucester of my

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Peter Dowd Gloucester of my constituency, the old Bootle County borough. Whereas a speech. Speech borough. Whereas a speech. Speech in English that means reflecting on the past, considering the present and providing and looking to the and providing and looking to the future. So I want to look to the past a little bit. 2010 David Cameron. I'll cut the deficit, not the NHS will that didn't age well, did it? In 2010, the national debt was 64.7% of GDP.

By 2024 it was
19:24
Peter Dowd Portrait Peter Dowd MP (Bootle, Labour)
-
-
96.5%. What about the NHS waiting 96.5%. What about the NHS waiting lists? 2010 2.6 million. 2024 7.6 million. Satisfaction ratings down. million. Satisfaction ratings down. Rough sleeping up. Wage growth down. Didn't recover for many, many years under the Tories food bank use 100,000 food parcels in 2010, over 100,000 food parcels in 2010, over 3 million by 2024, child poverty 3.6 million in child poverty in 2010, 4.3 million by 2024. Zero 2010, 4.3 million by 2024. Zero hours contracts 2010 168 by 2024 168,000 by 2024/1,000,000.

What about the present? So let's look to the present. Over 4500 more secondary Fe and special school teachers. Over 1300 schools have joined the Free Breakfast Club. That impacts upon my constituency in a very practical, positive way. Waiting lists down the Renters Rights Act protecting 11,000,011 million renters. Creation. Great British Energy cutting bills for schools and hospitals and planning key clean power for 10 million homes. Raising the national minimum wage to £13.21. 3.9% increase £100 discount on energy bills for 80 homes impacting 20 million households. That's 99.8% of homes in my constituency.

Get that affected by that. Standing charges on household gas scrapped. And so it goes on. Madam Deputy Speaker And what about the future decreasing annual borrowing. Borrowing forecast to drop to 100 and from 134,000,000 billion down to 67 billion by 2031. Share of GDP annual net borrowing expected to decline from 4.2%. Fiscal rules on track. Real wage growth going up. ET cetera. ET cetera. Child poverty down. That's what you get from a labour Budget. In addition, in addition to the impact upon devolution in all our communities, which will be of great benefit to my constituency.

Thank you very

**** Possible New Speaker ****

much, Madam. Sian Berry. Many thanks, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I cannot not congratulate the hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras on her speech. It's a constituency I know speech. It's a constituency I know well, and she's a distinguished former colleague of mine on Camden Council. But I am here today to Council. But I am here today to speak about council housing and the government's priorities still not government's priorities still not being right on this, despite the Chancellor himself and his Budget speech explicitly, explicitly naming the loss of more than 2
19:27
Siân Berry Portrait Siân Berry MP (Brighton Pavilion, Green Party)
-
-
million council homes since the 1980s and the focus on rough sleeping from the Prime Minister. sleeping from the Prime Minister. We have millions of people waiting in overcrowded homes or rented homes they can't afford, waiting in homes they can't afford, waiting in temporary accommodation that councils can't afford. This goes well beyond crisis. So what has the well beyond crisis. So what has the government given us in this Budget? We have new money, £1.5 billion We have new money, £1.5 billion added to the pot for councils to bid from for affordable home building. In paragraph 5.4 of the Budget, the Chancellor says this will help build potentially 10,000 more real council homes over the next four years.

Not terrible. But in the same document, in paragraphs 5.5, we get another 4.7 billion for the government's new version of the Help to Buy scheme, and the Chancellor explains this will support private profit making developers to sell an extra 20,000

**** Possible New Speaker ****

new builds. And I presume without expecting Developers to cut their prices or their profits, or possibly to or their profits, or possibly to increase them. I note that the government is planning to collect some small fees from house builders, but I assume they've been agreed with them. And I note that one impact of the previous government's Help to Buy scheme certainly was to keep house prices rising out of many people's reach, and to boost many people's reach, and to boost and profit margins for developers. As the recent government evaluation of the scheme itself concludes. So can the government Ministers tell us today whether 4.7 billion for loans they don't expect to be paid back for many years to support 20,000 extra private sales by developers really represents better short or long term value for the public purse than 1.5 billion to enable 10,000 new build council homes, three times more funding out of the door for just twice as many new homes.

Even under the government's broad house building target. Is this really the best use of public money? It may not be that simple. So can I ask the government to give us its workings on these choices, especially if I'm wrong in my assumptions? Can the government commit to publishing, for comparison, the Green Book assumptions and appraisals for each of these investment decisions, and the time taken for money to move out and back into its loan scheme. We need to see much more investment in real council housing. We need to see by the supply the funding of acquisitions as well.

And I cannot see why the government isn't putting together an equity loan scheme for councils to help them buy the supply, instead of going again with the Help to Buy scheme,

**** Possible New Speaker ****

just as the last conservative government did. Adam Thompson. Deputy speaker, Can.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Deputy speaker, Can. I start by. Thanking the Chancellor for presenting us with the Budget and the Secretary of State for introducing today's debate on growth in every postcode? When the Prime Minister began his tour of Prime Minister began his tour of the country in August, he started in Ilkeston. There he. The Secretary of State and I listened Secretary of State and I listened to people talk about the loss that they feel. Having watched our town centre decline over decades. But whether I'm in Ilkeston or Long Eaton, people in my constituency share that same sense of loss.

They
19:30
Adam Thompson Portrait Adam Thompson MP (Erewash, Labour)
-
-
remember how our town centres used to be vibrant high streets and markets, great pubs, bustling markets, great pubs, bustling centres of commerce and the beating heart of our community all at the same time. That's why the Chancellor is absolutely right to help level the playing field, recognising the fundamental shifts in our economy, helping out the in our economy, helping out the struggling small local businesses and asking thriving online giants to finally pay their fair share. Following the Chancellor's announcement, almost 400 Erewash businesses will no longer need to pay a penny in business rates. That is money that they can now spend creating jobs, passing back to their customers, reinvesting or keeping a hold of to reacquire some breathing space themselves.

More than 80 additional shops in my constituency no longer paying any business rates at all. And I know the Chancellor will be very, very glad to hear this. Ten great pubs given full business rates relief, including the fantastic Dew Drop in Ilkeston and the Millbrook in Long Eaton. So if the Chancellor. I won't. My colleague, because so many people want to speak tonight. Thank you. So if the Chancellor is looking for somewhere to celebrate his first Budget, I'd love to invite him to come to Erewash to try out the newly done up function room at the Millbrook, or perhaps to enjoy one of the dewdrops, famous cheese and onion cobs, turning Madam Deputy Speaker to measures that my right hon.

Friend the Chancellor has extended for families. I'm very heartened to hear him present such an extensive raft of measures to help pull back the cost of living for so many people across Erewash in the country. Alongside the removal of VAT on electricity costs and scrapping standing charges on gas, the direct £100 payment this winter is an enormous step. Pulling down energy bills for more than 40,000 families, from Sawley to San Diego to Shipley view. Can I also thank the Chancellor for his continued investment in Rolls Royce? Royce is a huge employer in my constituency, and it is a great point of pride for us in Derbyshire that the most groundbreaking, groundbreaking innovation in the world happens on our doorstep.

The Chancellor has recognised how much Rolls-Royce and my constituents have to offer our country. That, Madam Deputy Speaker, is what a Labour Budget is all about, rooting our economy in society and making them both fairer. Supporting working families, pensioners, carers, small businesses, all. It is great to have Chancellor and a government that listens to people, a Chancellor and a government that will allow our communities to hope again. And a Chancellor and a government that will put our

**** Possible New Speaker ****

communities back at the heart of our economy. Sir Iain Duncan Smith.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Sir Iain Duncan Smith. Madam Deputy Speaker, it's worth reflecting on three things. Although we've got very little time. Although we've got very little time. So I just want to spend one comment on welfare. It is necessary for us or the government, that is to say, or the government, that is to say, to reduce welfare spending, because as we don't reduce welfare spending, you see what the forecast says, you see what the forecast says, that debt and borrowing will now be higher in every single year of the government's own forecasts. And that is hugely down to the fact that the growth in welfare spending is running out of control.

I simply lay that as a point. It was avoided during the Budget. I was astonished, and then we heard the confusion when the Chancellor went on the
19:33
Iain Duncan Smith Portrait Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP (Chingford and Woodford Green, Conservative)
-
-
radio the following morning, saying that that welfare would be reduced during the course of the government. during the course of the government. He was overridden by the Treasury, who said, no, it won't. And he didn't say that, but he did. And didn't say that, but he did. And that's the confusion. I don't doubt that he wants to do it. It appears that he's not going to be able to that he's not going to be able to do it. But the main thing I want to say here is that the this this Budget has not been good for Budget has not been good for working families and middle income earners and those who even bother to save.

It's really hard on them. Taxes are the highest on record. The tax burden has hit a historic high next year at 37 nearly 38% of GDP, and will surge to over 38.6, maybe 37%, by 2031. And the reality is, growth next year has been cut from 1.6% to 1%, and real household disposable income per person as a result of this Budget is forecast to fall by 0.8% the year. They're just stark figures. They're figures that economists have produced in their forecasts. And I simply say the effect on that is to have fewer choices for government.

And not one word was spent. And I want to say this about defence. Defence is important for two reasons. Number one, the threat that we face now is astonishing from China, North Korea, from Iran and Russia, all linked together in an axis of totalitarian states. And that needs, therefore, our defence spending to rise. Every other government in Europe is raising defence spending. We used to be the lead on this. They would all look to us, not anymore, because we've avoided that. And even the defence review won't take place until well into next year. And who knows what will happen next.

And I simply say this is a this is a failure really of the government. It's an opportunity that is missed. And let me just quote what Helen Miller, the economist of the IFS, said. She said, it feels like a lot of fiddling, short term things, new complications, a young allowance for entrepreneurs, starter ISAs, etc. I didn't hear a clear, coherent vision or a simplification of the tax system, which is necessary. And that is the reality. This was an opportunity missed and future generations will look back at this moment and say, where were you? Why didn't you take those decisions that were necessary here?

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Baggy Shanker. Madam Deputy Speaker. Speaker, can I first refer the House to my Register of Financial Interest, specifically relating to Rolls Royce? This is a Budget that backs grafters not just in Derby, but in towns and cities across the whole country. It backs hard working country. It backs hard working families struggling to make ends meet, with £100 of breathing space on their energy bill. It backs the on their energy bill. It backs the landlord behind the pubs we know and love.

The changes to business rates helping balance their books
19:36
Baggy Shanker Portrait Baggy Shanker MP (Derby South, Labour )
-
-
and it backs good growth, not just in D1 and D2, not just in our great city of Derby, but in postcodes all over the country. And at the heart of that is good growth and reindustrialisation driving the jobs, investment and opportunities jobs, investment and opportunities our communities need in Derby. We know a thing or two about making things. For generations we have things. For generations we have built, engineered and supplied the technologies that keep our country powered. We are proud of that heritage, but we know our industrial future can't be built on nostalgia. We need investment that matched the scale of our ambition for British workers and British industry investments, like the whopping £2.5 billion joint investment delivered in the Budget to keep the next generation of narrow body aircraft engines right here on our home soil.

Last week, I was proud to welcome the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and our brilliant Business Secretary to Derby to meet people making that possible. People like Rolls-Royce, apprentices Will Elliott and Lucy Young, people putting in the hard yards, learning their trade and building the skills that will secure not just their own futures, but the future of British manufacturing. And the investment will create thousands more opportunities like theirs. From the design office to the factory floor, and for our brilliant small and medium businesses right across the supply chain. Because Reindustrialisation isn't just a headline, it's about creating good, stable jobs close to home.

It's about opportunities for our suppliers, services, skilled crafts, people who support our growing factories. And it's about giving local communities a share in that manufacturing success, which they help to create. But that hasn't always been the case. And in Derby, we know that better than most. The manufacturing success Derby residents have helped to create has not been shared with them. But things are changing. Because with £10 million of government investment behind Team Derby, we're putting that right. We're making sure that every pound of investment works and hard works as hard as it can, making it better for our city and our residents.

Reindustrialisation is about putting the work that the people and the place benefits from. And that's why this Budget backs our communities.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Chris Coghlan. Thank you, Madam Speaker. When my grandfather, Lieutenant

**** Possible New Speaker ****

When my grandfather, Lieutenant Austin Coughlin, a naval officer, served in the battle of the Atlantic, he did not expect to Atlantic, he did not expect to survive, but he did. Was in no small part due to the codebreakers at Bletchley Park who diverted at Bletchley Park who diverted convoys away from U-boats in the process. The codebreakers invented the world's first computer colossus,
19:39
Chris Coghlan Portrait Chris Coghlan MP (Dorking and Horley, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
which powered the economic development of the post-war world. The spill-over effect, from military technology to civilian use, is one of the most powerful forces for economic growth. We can use it now. Many have said that there is not much that is transformative in this Budget, but that overlooks the Chancellor's decision to invest 5 billion up to 5 billion in dual use military technology through the British Business Bank and the National Wealth Fund. And to borrow jointly with our allies through the multilateral defence mechanism. I have called for this for the last two years on the Treasury Committee.

So I'm grateful to the government and the Liberal Democrats for embracing this policy. Academics now recognise that the economic dominance of the United States has been powered by public research and development, especially in defence. In my Budget speech last year, I called for 5 billion more on public research and development to take us up to US levels as a share of GDP. The 5 billion in this Budget, while over four years, is a start. Public investment in research in universities and laboratories is powerful because it de-risks the cost of developing new technologies, enabling private investment to take it forward into start ups.

London Business School's Paolo Sirico has found that innovation, which is funded by the government but taken forward by the private sector, generates productivity and growth, which is eight times larger than innovation taken forward by the private sector alone. Now, of course, more borrowing is a concern in the current fiscal environment. But as the government has correctly identified, borrowing jointly with allies can remove most of the credit risk. And the latest academic research enables us to forecast the returns with confidence. If this program was scaled in increments of 2 billion a year annually over the next ten years, it could lead to one growth.

 Finally returning to pre 2008 levels, transforming living standards to debt to GDP two percentage points or £60 billion lower, and three meeting our NATO defence spending commitments. Madam Deputy Speaker. British politicians in the 1930s were labelled the guilty men because they failed to prioritise defence over the deficit. My grandfather's generation paid the price. As a reservist, infantry officer and an MP, I want to ensure that our generation does not hear Ashley Dalton.
19:41
19:42
19:42
Ashley Dalton Portrait Ashley Dalton MP (West Lancashire, Labour)
-
-
people across West Lancashire. Madam Deputy Speaker, are working hard to make ends meet. There is no hard to make ends meet. There is no dearth in the ambition or talent that exists in our local communities. But when conflict in the Middle East drives up global energy prices, my constituents feel the effects in their household the effects in their household budgets. The extension of the 0% VAT rate on electricity until July 27th. The removal of standing charges from household gas bills and the 2.6 billion energy bills. Breathing space scheme are all welcome steps in West Lancashire 37,000 plus households will benefit from the £100 payment this winter.

 The cost of global volatility are not only felt in the home, however, the conflict in the Middle East has once again demonstrated how vulnerable motorists are to fluctuations in global fuel prices. I welcome, therefore, the extension of fuel duty tax tax cuts until July next year. I have spoken repeatedly about the need to improve public transport and rail connectivity in Skelmersdale in my constituency. Ensuring that our communities are better connected to neighbouring towns, cities and economic opportunities. And while I continue to encourage reform led Lancashire County Council to work constructively with me to improve local transport for my constituents.

 I also recognise that in many parts of a rural constituency such as mine, owning a car is currently a necessity. And that is why measures to ease the pressure on motorists are particularly welcome in rural constituencies like mine, where the price at the pump is piling additional pressure on already overstretched families. But this Budget is not only for families. Our high streets are at the heart of our communities. They bring employment opportunities, economic growth and a sense of community, character and identity. As co-chair of the all party parliamentary Group for theatre, and particularly conscious of the important role that our cultural venues play in supporting our local economy, touring productions in particular, the economic contribution of touring theatre extends well beyond the theatre itself.

With every pound spent on the theatre ticket generating a further £1.40 in local spending. So I look forward to seeing how the government can further support the touring sector and creative industries, ensuring theatres can reach audiences across the country. I welcome this Budget that recognises the importance of our high streets and the contribution of small businesses. It's how we create jobs, strengthen our communities and deliver growth that people feel in every postcode

**** Possible New Speaker ****

in every day of their lives. Iqbal Mohamed thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The most critical Deputy Speaker. The most critical issue facing my constituents in Dewsbury and Batley is Dewsbury and Batley is affordability. Cost of living. Cost of living. The Budget should not be an annual announcement to appease an annual announcement to appease markets, protect and enrich corporations, executive shareholders, the rich and the shareholders, the rich and the super rich, or even those in this place. It should not look after the wealthy at the expense of the poor. It should be about making the lives of the vast majority of people in our country better and more affordable, and for some, just bearable.

I met one of those people who lives in Batley who works full time, pays their taxes and does
19:45
Iqbal Mohamed Portrait Iqbal Mohamed MP (Dewsbury and Batley, Independent)
-
-
everything we tell people should do. And she showed me her Budget and asked a question that no one in modern Britain should have to ask. Should I pay my rent? Should I pay Should I pay my rent? Should I pay my bills or should I buy food? Not because she's unemployed, not because she has mismanaged her because she has mismanaged her finances, not because she lacks ambition, but because the weekly shop costs more. The gas bill costs shop costs more. The gas bill costs more, the rent costs more, the journey to work costs more. Everything that a human being needs to live a simple, dignified life costs much, much more.

And her wages will simply not keep up. That is the reality of the cost of living crisis and this Budget, although there are some welcome measures, does not do anywhere near enough to make life bearable, let alone affordable for the many. By making the few contribute a bit more. We in this place earn over £98,000. We will not feel the impact of the energy prices that are 70% higher than 2020, rising by 4% this month and by a quarter in January. The 60 to 70% increase in petrol and diesel prices will be a blip that will have little impact on our driving or lifestyle.

The cost of food, according to the Commons Library, grocery prices have increased by about 38.6% since 2020, meaning a weekly £100 shop now costs roughly £138.60. Car insurance has risen 82% between 21 and 24, and insurance premiums have increased by 126% since 2020. And national nationally, the average rents have climbed from roughly 975 a month to £1,375 a month. Madam Deputy Speaker, too often we Ministers speak about future economy economic improvements, while households wonder how they will get through the next week, and Parliament must take some responsibility, because our duty is not to simply debate suffering.

It is not merely to acknowledge hardship. It is not enough to express concern. Our duty is to act and this government has let the people down. Thank you.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Mary Glindon Madam Deputy Speaker and I welcome the positives Speaker and I welcome the positives in the Chancellor's Budget, many of which include the freeze on future increases in the minimum national increases in the minimum national living wage, as well as in small business rate relief rate relief threshold for retail properties, threshold for retail properties, and the fact that almost 56,000 households in my constituency will
19:48
Mary Glindon Portrait Mary Glindon MP (Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend, Labour)
-
-
households in my constituency will benefit from the £100 payment for properties in council tax bands A and D A to D. However, I must advise the Chancellor that there won't be good growth in postcode N, e six and NI 28 unless Ministers pull every lever at their disposal to support industry on the Tyne. The overhead electric cables are a constraint on investment as they prevent movement of large structures used in the offshore energy sector. News that the project to underground the cables, now effectively paused, will push the 2034 completion date even further into the future.

 International yards are already capitalising on our offshore wind leasing round. Fixed assets are increasing in size and investment in floating offshore wind, which will see integrated units towed to sea, is set to overtake Scotland by the early 2030s. My constituency has the skills and infrastructure to sit at the forefront of the UK's green future. It is the home to a cluster of offshore supply chain firms and expanding Energy Skills Academy, and less than 100 100 nautical miles from the world's largest offshore wind farm, Ofgem, the national grid and Ministers must act decisively. Tyneside can seize the opportunities that the

**** Possible New Speaker ****

green transition offer if they do. Olly Glover thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for all the positives of this Budget. This the real disappointment is that it doesn't match the radicalism and doesn't match the radicalism and claims of the now endless government, social media and TikTok barrage. It's extraordinary, given barrage. It's extraordinary, given everything that was previously said when he was Secretary of State for defence, that the Chancellor has kicked the the big defence spending kicked the the big defence spending decisions down the road. There are only warm words but no plan for helping people back into work.

And of course, nothing concrete on Europe, something even the previous Chancellor has acknowledged over the weekend needs addressing. A big theme for my constituents is the need for infrastructure to support housing. I believe there would be less despair and opposition to new houses if central government listened to calls for transparency
19:50
Olly Glover Portrait Olly Glover MP (Didcot and Wantage, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
and ambition when it comes to infrastructure and public services to support housing growth. Setting and publishing targets for the and publishing targets for the amount of primary healthcare, transport, large scale leisure or policing per head of population. policing per head of population. Based on an analysis of local demographic needs and showing progress or otherwise against those metrics would help to restore trust and highlight where investment is needed. This is all the more important, as local councils do not important, as local councils do not have direct control of most of these areas. The lack of acknowledgement of these challenges, let alone action on them in the Budget, is disappointing.

It's also regrettable that there are no rolling funds or investment programmes for major transport investments. Without them, no hope has been created for a new railway station serving Grove and Wantage. Accessibility improvements to Chelsea Station or railway electrification from Didcot to Oxford. Now the government's slow embrace of devolution amidst the utter shambles of local government reorganisation, we have to hope, will fill some of this void. But that very much remains to be seen as a result of so many unanswered questions. Now there's some welcome measures supporting hospitality, but small producer relief for small scale, small scale producers of alcohol still exclude small vineyards such as Hendred Vineyard, which produces just a few thousand bottles a year.

This makes little sense. The alcohol intensity of a drink does not inherently correlate with how much it is abused, and English wine has a promising future. But I want to finish my remarks with what the Budget says about science and high tech. Now, despite some positive measures on AI safety and a capital gains tax for Founders Relief, the government's previous decisions on science mean that this is the big. The area of the biggest disappointment. My constituency has a wide range of science and technology organisations, but the government's decision to significantly cut the Science and Technology Facilities Council funding is incomprehensible and unforgivable.

No wonder, after three months, the government still has not had the basic courtesy to reply to my letters on this 15% funding cuts to Harwell campuses, three national and globally significant research facilities of diamond light source ISIS, neutron and muon source, and the central laser facility will lead to significant decreases in operating time of up to 25%. Now, I'm used to the government ignoring me, but maybe they'll listen to Deputy general Secretary of prospect Sue ferns. Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham and the physicist Brian Cox, who have all warned that these cuts would cause lasting and possibly irreparable damage to the

**** Possible New Speaker ****

UK scientific capabilities. Kirsteen Sullivan Madam Chair. The real test of this Budget are

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The real test of this Budget are the families who notice every extra penny at the petrol station, every increase in energy bill and the pounds adding on to the weekly shop. The war in Iran carries a price tag The war in Iran carries a price tag for the whole globe, and that is clear at the petrol pump and on our clear at the petrol pump and on our energy bills. For motorists over 3500 workers in transport and
19:53
Kirsteen Sullivan Portrait Kirsteen Sullivan MP (Bathgate and Linlithgow, Labour )
-
-
logistics in my Bathgate and Linlithgow constituency. The price at the pump matters. So I welcome the continued freeze to the fuel the continued freeze to the fuel duty cut until July 2027, a measure called for throughout this year. I also welcome the outstanding charges for gas and the £100 payment to those in council tax bands A to D again. This will make the thought of bills during the the thought of bills during the upcoming winter period that bit less stressful. If the Scottish Government passes it on in the same way, over 119,000 households across West Lothian and Falkirk council areas will benefit and it must be passed on.

Our constituents cannot afford for it to disappear into the black hole created by the SNP's mismanagement of Scotland's finances. Those measures mean real reduction, reductions in bills, shifting the brunt of levies and standing charges away from the consumer just as the worst hits. However, I'm just going to continue so that colleagues can get in. However, I'm mindful that many people have high energy usage due to health conditions and disability, so I would be grateful if the Minister could outline what kind of support those with health vulnerabilities will receive. I am also aware that many businesses continue to struggle with the high level of energy costs, especially those manufacturers in energy intensive sectors, so I would have liked to have seen an expansion of the eligibility for the scheme, and I hope that's something that the Chancellor will consider.

But I also hope that the Scottish Government takes a leaf out of the Chancellor's book and replicates the cuts to business rates to give our high street businesses a boost. This Budget also delivers a further £600 million for Scotland, adding up to over £18 billion more since Labour was elected in July 2024. So I'm calling on the Scottish Government to use that £600 million extra and invest in the services in which my constituents rely on us day in, day out. Madam Deputy Speaker, whilst we cannot predict every shock that comes from overseas, we can choose how we respond to them and we choose to protect families at the petrol pump and on their energy bills, and we choose to back British workers, British businesses and British manufacturing.

That is what this Budget is about, giving my constituents greater security today while building a stronger and more

**** Possible New Speaker ****

resilient economy for tomorrow. Charlie Maynard thank you, Madam

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Charlie Maynard thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Chancellor said in his speech last week that people are looking to government not to solve their problems, but to give solve their problems, but to give them a bit of breathing space. Well, this may be partly true, but I think it demonstrates the lack of think it demonstrates the lack of ambition which sits behind this Budget. Government should be solving, or at least making a much solving, or at least making a much more serious attempt than we saw last week. This is about the systemic problems in our economy.

 These are at the root of why so many families are struggling to make ends meet, and so many
19:56
Charlie Maynard Portrait Charlie Maynard MP (Witney, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
businesses are failing when the economy is as damaged as it is when economy is as damaged as it is when public sector debt sits at 104% of debt to GDP, as per the IMF. Productivity is decreasing. Productivity is decreasing. Consumer confidence is down, housing costs continue to rise, and I absolutely think it is the job of I absolutely think it is the job of the government to do something substantial towards solving the country's problems. Make no mistake, country's problems. Make no mistake, the various incremental measures the Chancellor announced, such as household energy bills, will be welcomed, but they are not sufficient to move the dial on growth.

To quote the IFS, with bigger, more difficult decisions kicked down the road for another time. What my constituents and Witney want to know is how they're going to absorb another year of no real earnings growth, mortgage increases coming down the pipe on the back of a likely Bank of England rise. This week, my constituents want to know that the public services are safe, that we all rely on, and they're not. They want to see genuine hope for a future with better jobs and more opportunities, and they want to know that our food supply is secure and our rural economy will be supported.

But across the board, this Budget was too unambitious and ducked the big decisions our country is crying out for. I'm going to give two areas that could move the dial. First, the Chancellor's speech was silent on Britain's relationship with our biggest trading partner, the EU. Our country prospers when fair, dynamic markets for goods, services, capital and labour operate effectively. If the government is serious about our economy and wants growth, get on and open negotiations for our country to rejoin the European Union. Now, secondly, if we are serious about getting our national debt under control, we have to look at reforming our fiscal rules.

Why? Because they do not work. This is demonstrated by the fact that for the last 25 years, we have not had a single year where tax receipts exceeded spending. Our fiscal rules are front loaded. Front load spending in the early years and difficult decisions, as epitomised by last week's Budget, are put off. Often the other side of an election. There are good international examples we can learn from here, where other countries do it better, such as Switzerland and Sweden. So I urge the Chancellor to take steps to rejoin the EU and to establish a cross-party commission exploring more prudent fiscal rules.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Amanda Martin. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. We live in an ever changing world where global issues impact on our where global issues impact on our everyday lives, so I'm pleased this Budget is about making a difference to working people and families in Portsmouth North little changes Portsmouth North little changes making a big difference. People in my city are worried about the cost of energy. This Budget responds by of energy. This Budget responds by extending the removal of the VAT on electricity until July 27th, removing gas standing charges and
19:59
Amanda Martin Portrait Amanda Martin MP (Portsmouth North, Labour)
-
-
removing gas standing charges and putting £100 directly into the bank of 40,000 households across Portsmouth North. That's alongside the new business industry competitive Scheme for businesses. But energy isn't the only cost, putting pressure on families. For many people in Portsmouth North, getting to work or school means getting in the car, and the cost of filling up hits hard. Extending the £0.05 fuel duty and cutting fuel duty. Keeping fuel duty frozen helps motorists and businesses manage these every day and Madam Speaker. The cost of living is also about where people can still enjoy life and that.

So people coming together. So I'm pleased to see that changing this Budget will mean half of retail, leisure and hospitality in our region will pay no more business rates at all. Madam Deputy Speaker, we must invest in our future. And the the your first home scheme means lower deposits and more opportunity for young people, and I look forward to more details and we must keep our country safe in Portsmouth, our naval city. Defence means more than national security. It means jobs, skills and opportunities for local people, and the government is spending 14,000,000 billion more on defence than the previous government.

Three point billion for the naval dockyard is brilliant. This. Madam Deputy Speaker, alongside the investment from previous governments, is great. But Madam Deputy Speaker one announcement especially close to my heart and that is paternity pay for the self-employed. For too long, self-employed men have faced impossible choice. Spend those precious first few days of your newborn or return to work because those bills won't wait. Labour introduced paternity leave, but self-employed dads and non-birthing partners were left behind. This Budget takes an important step. For the first time, they will be able to receive paternity pay, something that is a point of principle for a builder, a plumber, a taxi driver, a shopkeeper and a farmer.

This means real support and the most important moment of your life. Up to £194 a week for two weeks might not be enough, and the Treasury Minister will not be surprised to know. I want to see longer leave and more generous, generous pay. But for someone who currently gets nothing. This change means real help with the bills, less finances, pressure and more importantly, more time with their newborn child. Because being there for your child should not be a luxury reserved for those who can afford it. I want to quickly thank the incredible campaigners who have helped all at the dad shift on the tools and Movember, and most importantly, the hard working tradespeople across the country who have made their voice heard and have trusted me to bring their voice to this place.

 This victory is theirs and they should be so very proud as I am so very proud of them. How, Madam Deputy Speaker, can we allow young men and ask them to take up apprenticeships in our trades if we do not protect their future and their families? This is personal for me. My dad was a tradie, my brother as a tradie, and so is my granddad, and I'm incredibly proud of both of them. And I wanted something different from my own sons. Thank you very much, sir.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Ashley Fox madam. Deputy Speaker, I was disappointed that the Chancellor did nothing to change the gift aid did nothing to change the gift aid rules that would have helped Bridgwater, Carnival and so many other community organisations and other community organisations and charities. Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival is the most magnificent spectacle. It is Britain's oldest carnival and the largest illuminated carnival in Europe. And illuminated carnival in Europe. And it's on Saturday. Like so many good causes, the carnival raises much of its funds in small cash donations,
20:02
Ashley Fox Portrait Sir Ashley Fox MP (Bridgwater, Conservative)
-
-
often loose change collected in a bucket on the night. Yet they can bucket on the night. Yet they can only claim gift aid on a maximum of £2,000 on these small donations, a figure that hasn't been increased figure that hasn't been increased for ten years. So I asked the Chancellor, please, will he consider increasing this limit, consider increasing this limit, which would make a huge difference to organisations that collect so much of their funds in small cash much of their funds in small cash donations. Madam Deputy Speaker, Despite making so many changes in his Budget, the Chancellor has not reinstated the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme that his predecessor abolished.

This means that communities who worship in a listed building, like the parish of Saint Andrews in Burnham on Sea, will have to bear the full cost of VAT on the repairs their historic church requires. The scheme that replaced it is less generous and has a capped Budget. We should cherish our beautiful listed churches and take care of them for future generations. I will continue to press the Chancellor to renew this scheme in full, to make sure that our congregations are not charged an extra 20% for vital repairs. Now, there are 98 separate measures in the Red book.

Many of them which will further complicate Britain's already Byzantine tax code. Do we really need a new founders relief from capital gains tax, which we are told will, before qualifying? Founders of high growth, innovative companies? Now it sounds good, perhaps for a labour tax relief, but wouldn't it be better to lower the rate of CGT for everyone, rather than add another carve out for accountants and lawyers to argue about? Britain needs lower tax rates with fewer exemptions, not additional complications that drive up the cost of compliance. The fundamental problem Britain faces today is simple we are running out of money and unless we change course soon, every other problem will become harder to solve.

Our national debt is now £3 trillion, and every year Labour is adding tens of billions more. And at a time of international uncertainty, we must spend more on defence. But this government won't and can't because they refuse to cut welfare. So we need a plan to cut debt, fund defence and get Britain growing

**** Possible New Speaker ****

again. Chris Curtis. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I want to Madam Deputy Speaker. I want to speak today about the devolution measures announced in the Budget and the fiscal devolution pathway and the fiscal devolution pathway that's been set out. We normally hear two arguments for devolution. The decisions should be made closer The decisions should be made closer to the people they affect rather than in Whitehall, and the investment should be spread more fairly beyond London and certain fairly beyond London and certain pockets of the South east. Now, I agree with both of those arguments, but I think there is a more important argument.

Devolution can help us grow the economy and make the British state work better. After nearly two decades of stagnation, we desperately need to raise productivity, build infrastructure faster and unlock growth across the country. I believe devolution can be one of the best ways of doing that, but I think that needs to come with fiscal devolution. 95% of tax revenue is. Britain is raised by central governments rather than regional or rather than regional or local level. Meanwhile, France
20:06
Chris Curtis Portrait Chris Curtis MP (Milton Keynes North, Labour)
-
-
raises three times as much at a subnational level, Germany much higher still. Centre for cities has higher still. Centre for cities has found there is a strong relationship between fiscal devolution and wages across devolved economies. Correlation is not always causation, but there are obvious economic reasons why that obvious economic reasons why that relationship exists today. When councils approve new housing, attracts employment or investment, attracts employment or investment, or builds infrastructure, they take the political risk and bear many of the upfront costs. But much of that additional tax revenue goes straight to the Treasury and eventually gets redistributed elsewhere.

And even when they do retain that money, it can disappear at the next funding reset, as we saw happen earlier this year. Local leaders bear the cost of growth while the Treasury collects the proceeds. That is why I welcome the Chancellor's commitment to increase business rates retention, giving mayors a share of business rate growth for next year, and income tax receipts from 2028. If we want local leaders to take difficult decisions in favour of growth, their communities need to share in the rewards. Stable future revenues can also allow local local areas to borrow against, borrow against that future growth to pay for the infrastructure needed today.

And it's good to see the government looking at how that can happen with places like the Cambridge greater Cambridge Development Corporation. I hope it's something we can look at in Milton Keynes in the future. I just want to finish off as well by saying that while I know many areas across the country are going to be benefiting from the proceeds of the devolution announcements announced by the government, I'm disappointed that at least an announcement this week, my local area is not going to be one of them. That is not because of the real hard work and determination by many MPs across this chamber to get devolution across Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes, or indeed from government, who came forward with nearly £1 billion package in order to get this over the line.

It was unfortunately vetoed by one local government leader in Central Bedfordshire, who decided to put politics ahead of the people that he was elected to represent. He has left the local area down and I hope that government will continue to work with, work with all local leaders in the area to see if they can find a solution.
20:08
Jim Allister Portrait Jim Allister KC MP (North Antrim, Traditional Unionist Voice)
-
-
Here. Speaker Taken as a whole, this Budget is really rather insipid because it deliberately avoids many because it deliberately avoids many of the big ticket areas like our runaway benefits Budget, which it runaway benefits Budget, which it does nothing at all about, and the need to put together a properly funded programme to adequately build the defence of this nation. Again, an issue that this Budget leaves untouched. But I suppose at least we have a Budget. I say that because in my part of the United Kingdom, we're now entering the eighth month when, because of a catastrophic failure of devolution in Northern Ireland, we don't even have a Budget for this year, never mind next year.

And I do say to the Treasury and to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, this can't go on. You need to bring that Budget through this House so that there is the money to pay the public service, pay rises and everything else, which is now at risk because of the dysfunctional failure of the Stormont Executive. One of the other things that this Budget is silent about, and yet it's something if the government has its way, which will be very important going forward, and that is the cost of the government's intended reset with the E UQ.

I take but one example of that, the proposition that the United Kingdom should participate in the EU's electricity market. When you go to the council decision of the EU, which created the mandate for the EU to negotiate with the United Kingdom about the United Kingdom entering the EU's electricity market, you find that that mandate includes these words, an agreement on the financial contribution of the United Kingdom towards reducing economic, social and territorial disparities between the regions of the Union. In other words, the United Kingdom has a cost of joining the electricity market of the EU is going to be required to make a contribution.

No doubt a sizeable contribution to the EU's Cohesion Fund. It's the same with SBS. It's the same with all the targets of the reset. And yet this Budget fails to tell us what the cost of any of that is going to be. So the government needs to front up on this. It needs to tell the public, not the glossy impression it likes to create of advantage, which is funny in re in the reset, but the actual monetary cost. What is it? Minister.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Emily Darlington. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Milton Keynes MPs must be like buses. You wait a long time and to buses. You wait a long time and to come at once. 113,000,000,113 billion is the cost every year. Because women are excluded from pay. Work on equal terms with men. I
20:11
Emily Darlington Portrait Emily Darlington MP (Milton Keynes Central, Labour)
-
-
worked very closely with members from from across these benches as well as the as the Women's Budget Group and the Good Girls Foundation to put together an unashamed of female agenda around how we get to realise the 113 billion of gross value added every year. If women could fully participate in the economy and I want to thank my hon. Friends, the Ministers at the Treasury for their engagement on this really important document, and I want to talk about what this Budget delivers for women. It bolsters us, it promotes us, and it protects us. It bolsters us with paternity leave and and and leave for adoption, for self-employed people, breakfast clubs and VAT cuts on energy bills.

We know that women, more often than not, are the ones that are trying to make the household bills add up at the end of the month, and they are the first person in the family to go without. When there isn't enough. The commitment to the gender pay gap and pay transparency is so important. But women are business owners too, particularly on our high streets, our hairdressers, our nail technicians seeing business rate cuts, but also in those high tech, high investment science based industries where we're going to have fair investment practices, tech forward standards to replace workplace, to improve workplace culture, and 200 million double the commitment for women led businesses through the British Business Bank and a scale up programme to help them in, to help them, help them flourish.

And finally, this Budget also protects women and girls. It establishes for the first time a misogyny task force, which is looking at tackling the core issues that are holding women back and keeping them scared and destroying equality in our society. And £55 million worth of funding over two years to meet the commitment to halve violence against women and girls in the decade. It will strengthen our law enforcement activity, improve protection for victims and identify and disrupt harmful behaviours. This is a Budget for women because of women succeed, our country succeeds. And

**** Possible New Speaker ****

before I. Call the next member, members have been very disciplined with have been very disciplined with interventions, but they may wish to note that there are several colleagues who have absented

**** Possible New Speaker ****

colleagues who have absented themselves from the chamber without any notice. Charlotte Cane thank.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Charlotte Cane thank. You madam. In every postcode. The Chancellor seems to have forgotten Chancellor seems to have forgotten the people in Ely and East Cambridgeshire. Nothing in the Budget, no funding for the Ely Junction improvements which would increase capacity on that rail line for freight and for passengers and make it more reliable. Nothing to reduce rail fares which are getting out of many people's reach. Nothing to help the county council with the phenomenal cost of mending our soil affected roads, they estimate the cost to be £500 million, an amount no county council can find.

It's
20:15
Charlotte Cane Portrait Charlotte Cane MP (Ely and East Cambridgeshire, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
roughly ten times their annual Budget for road repairs. We have roads that, over this summer, roads that, over this summer, actually have no earth underneath them anymore, and when they go out to repair them, they have to to repair them, they have to instead close the road because there is no earth on which to repair it. Buses. It's great that we've got capped bus fares, but many of my villages don't have many of my villages don't have buses at all. Nothing in the Budget about improving bus routes and getting more buses and nothing on the A10.

The money's been removed for that and nothing's been put back in the Budget. So really for every postcode, not for mine. As for the farmers who had that catastrophic SFI where it closed within hours, nothing for them, nothing to recognise the problems they had over this long, hot, dry summer. We need to back our farmers. They are in my postcodes. They feed all of us. And then you come to breathing space. There are some good things in the Budget to help people with the cost of living, but not for people who are on heating oil.

I've had a letter from a young mum who is telling me that she has to find £650 just to buy the minimum amount of oil that can be delivered, and that wouldn't last her the winter. She can't ask for money from the Crisis and Resilience Fund, because she had that back in spring and she's told she can't ask again. Yes, she probably get £100 in January, but she needs £650 now and then. To add insult to injury, the the Chancellor has cut the money in the budgets for getting people helping people get away from their dependence on oil heating.

So I can't even be sure that all my constituents can take advantage of moving on to heat pumps or other technology. At the very least, will the Chancellor please look again at how he can help people on oil central heating because they desperately need it this winter? And please, we cannot just tell them to eat gherkins.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Yeah, yeah. Samantha Niblett Madam Deputy. Speaker. There are many welcome

**** Possible New Speaker ****

There are many welcome announcements in this Budget to help give people a little breathing space. From 100 hundred pounds for space. From 100 hundred pounds for households in council tax bands, A to D to paternity leave payments for self-employed fathers. And something I personally really something I personally really welcome was the investment in getting more women into tech, as recommended by the government's Women in Tech Task Force, at a time when trust in the tech industry is low, we need women in tech more than ever, and I would refer people to my register of interest.

You'll know I've got a quite a focus on this. However, following a meeting yesterday at Gresley Old Hall with members of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme in South Derbyshire, I want to focus on them and I speak today
20:18
Samantha Niblett Portrait Samantha Niblett MP (South Derbyshire, Labour)
-
-
on behalf of 1141 scheme members and their families in my and their families in my constituency. These men spent their working lives doing some of the hardest and most dangerous jobs in our country. They kept our lights our country. They kept our lights on, our homes warm and our industry is running. Their pensions are deferred, wages earned through years of dangerous work, not a taxpayer handouts. Now, I welcome the transfer of the 1.5 billion the transfer of the 1.5 billion investment reserve in 2024 and the Chancellor's announcement to end surplus sharing, so that 100% of future surpluses go to members.

But the job isn't finished. There's still approximately £1.2 billion in the Guarantor's fund. Members need certainty that it will be transferred in full without further delay. Yesterday, what I had hoped would be a meeting to celebrate progress became a meeting where I find myself apologising because once again, people who have waited decades for justice are being asked to wait again and time is running out. Around 100 former miners die every week. Some will never live to see the justice they have spent years campaigning for. This is also about our former coalfield communities. That money will be spent in our towns and villages, supporting local shops, businesses and families, helping growth in postcodes in South Derbyshire.

And I've raised this directly with Treasury Ministers and the Prime Minister's Office. I've also pledged to donate my next annual parliamentary salary increase to charity and to miners and their families receive what they are owed. I stand in solidarity with them, not just in words, but in deeds to. Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to finish with words of Gary Chamberlain, who I met yesterday. His words were, if you think this is a storm in a teacup, think again. This is just the start of it. And Gary is right for Gary and for my 1141 MPs, member constituents and their families, and for mining communities across the country, I say this to government.

Please release the remaining 1.2 billion, give members the certainty they deserve, and ensure their bonus payment arrives on the 23rd of December, as originally planned, in time for Christmas. We are the Labour Party. It's only a Labour government that will deliver justice for our miners, and we must not be a Labour government that asks them to wait yet again. Our miners have given enough to this country. It is time for this country gave them what they are out

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Andrew George. Mr. speaker. The hon. Member for South Derbyshire. An issue refers to the Derbyshire. An issue refers to the fact that this is a Labour Budget, but I want to really highlight the but I want to really highlight the way in which it doesn't contribute, as I would hope it would do. Of course, good growth in every postcode is a good thing, but. But combating widening inequality, I'm not sure it lives up to what I
20:20
Andrew George Portrait Andrew George MP (St Ives, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
not sure it lives up to what I believe the Labour Party argues for. I. I submitted a number of Edms 939940963 to give constructive proposals to to the to the Chancellor with regard to addressing widening inequality. Constructive proposals as you expect me to provide, whereas the Conservatives want to focus on on on the benefits bill. And of course we should. They don't seem to want to focus quite so much on the benefits bill of tax benefits for the wealthy. And it's that area that I wish to concentrate on most, because 23% of government tax take, which is 2 to £217.5 billion, is available in tax reliefs.

As the Treasury Ministers know full well, the Treasury Select Committee identified that 80% of those tax reliefs have never been publicly costed or evaluated, and I would hope that the government would be looking at these matters. I'll come on to one in housing in a moment. The Secretary of State referred to my private member's bill, which is up for debate on the Friday the 13th. So so next week. And that will be addressing both the need for first before second homes and also need before greed within the planning system. I hope that Labour members and others will be coming along to support that bill.

But what concerns me in particular is that the the business rate relief system contained on page 130 of the, of the of of of the red book refers to the, the cut in in rather the availability of the small business rate relief for, for, for, for the RH sector. And this includes of course holiday lets. And the problem is that because holiday lets are invariably have been second homes before people have flipped their property from council tax to business rate, apply for small business rate relief and then pay nothing at all. And what the government have done is extended the valuation from 12 to 18,000, which is then made a larger group of people who are wealthy enough with their second properties, now able to take advantage of this particular loophole.

And in areas like mine, with large numbers of second homes, we would like to see the half £1 billion that has gone from taxpayer's money into the pockets of of second home owners, put that money into social and affordable housing. It's driving inflation in the system. It's it's creating further inequality. And I do hope that the government will look at this again, think again and

**** Possible New Speaker ****

address this issue. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Linsey Farnsworth yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. This Budget contains a series of practical measures that will make a real difference to families across real difference to families across Amber Valley. While some may dismiss individual announcements as small measures, it is their small measures, it is their combined effect that matters. Taken together, they provide genuine breathing space for thousands of breathing space for thousands of people across Amber Valley. This includes expanded childcare and free breakfast clubs for families, support for households worried about energy bills, and measures to help people with transport costs for work and for leisure. I will when I.
20:23
Linsey Farnsworth Portrait Linsey Farnsworth MP (Amber Valley, Labour)
-
-
Thank my hon. Friend. >> Thank my hon. Friend. >> For giving way, that's really important. What she's just said there about lots of cumulative announcements making a difference. announcements making a difference. I know from my constituency throughout eastern North Wales, we pay some of the highest standing charges of anywhere in the country, with people in North Wales having paid 68PA day standing charge in comparison to the £0.43 paid each day by people in London. Does she agree with me that not only is this welcome, but this is a huge step to fairness in our energy system as well as creating that breathing space.

Yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I do agree with my hon. Friend. It is very important that there is breathing space right across this breathing space right across this country, just like growth in every postcode. Madam Deputy Speaker, the postcode. Madam Deputy Speaker, the Budget is only one part of a much wider programme of reform the High street strategy, the modern service street strategy, the modern service framework for dementia and frailty, reforming social care, bringing decision making closer to our communities through devolution. And of course, our ten year plan will all be transformative for my constituents. But now I want to turn to another matter addressed by the Budget.

It's a matter that matters. It's a matter that is probably echoing my friend for South Derbyshire. It's a big issue in our local community. It's. And it's extremely personal to me and, and, and to hundreds of people in my constituency. Also, Madam Deputy Speaker, I'm proud to be a former coal miner's daughter, and I'm proud to be a Labour MP with a government committed to finally delivering justice for mine workers. Because, let's face it, only a Labour government will do so.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Yeah. Now, since Labour came into office in 2024, we've seen real office in 2024, we've seen real progress on this topic. The MPs investment reserve has been transferred to scheme members, increasing annual pensions by around £29 per week. Last week, the Chancellor announced that every Chancellor announced that every penny of the surplus from the Mineworkers Pension Scheme will remain in the scheme. Sorry will remain in the scheme. Sorry will remain with their members rather than being split with the government, and the standstill rule has been abolished. Those are important improvements. But as the Chancellor himself said last week, the job is not done yet.

My dad suffers from emphysema, white finger, white fingers and damaged knee from years of working on the coalface and now also late stage dementia. When I learnt that a final settlement for MPs members would not be reached in this Budget, I made it clear to Ministers what this means. It means that there's a very real possibility that my dad will not live to see the justice that he deserves. And this is not unique to our family.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Around 19 former miners die every single day. That means that since the Budget, 85 miners will since the Budget, 85 miners will already have passed away without seeing this issue resolved. Let's be clear this is not government be clear this is not government money. This is not taxpayers money. money. This is not taxpayers money. This is the miners money. Now, the Chancellor has committed to ensuring that the full transfer of the Guarantor's fund will be returned. And I welcome that completely. But we cannot wait any longer. We cannot wait until a new fiscal event. We must finish this job.

And we must do it now. OK.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

And I'm sure hon. Members will be delighted to know that I'm putting the time limit back up to putting the time limit back up to four minutes. Manuela Perteghella.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I welcome I welcome aspects of this I welcome I welcome aspects of this breathing space, Budget and additional investment in our in council housing support for rough sleeping programmes, some positive news on business rates reduction to revive our high streets are all steps in the right direction. But for many families and businesses in
20:27
Manuela Perteghella Portrait Manuela Perteghella MP (Stratford-on-Avon, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
communities like those in my constituency, this Budget does not go far enough to address the pressure they face every day, including the brutal cost of living. People in Stratford-on-Avon worry People in Stratford-on-Avon worry about the future of their local high streets, about heating their homes this winter, and about homes this winter, and about whether their favourite shop, pub, cafe or restaurant that give our cafe or restaurant that give our towns their characters will still be here next year. That's why I believe this Budget misses opportunities in a number of important areas. First, our small businesses and high streets, the independent businesses that make our towns unique and create jobs for local people, are facing pressure from every direction under this government.

Rising employment costs, energy costs, business rates and regulatory burdens are all taking their toll and we are seeing empty units blight our streets up and down the country. We need stronger powers for councils to bring long term, vacant properties back into use, and more support for the independent businesses that give our towns their character. Business rates discount will help some, but many will be left in the cold. Hospitality is of particular importance for Stratford-on-Avon. 1 in 9 constituents are employed in this sector. This is why I'm disappointed that the government did not go further on VAT for hospitality.

A temporary reduction in VAT would have provided immediate help to businesses, while helping consumers who are also feeling the squeeze. And businesses in my constituency tell me a VAT reduction for hospitality would have allowed them to keep the lights on after the busy Christmas period. I also wish to raise fuel poverty. The £100 payment is welcome. However, we know from the Resolution Foundation that 1.4 million low income households are in higher council tax bands, and they will miss out on these untargeted payments. So will the Minister look at this cohort urgently so they do not fall through the cracks.

And while I'm here, council tax is a deeply unfair tax. We know it. The Minister knows it. He needs change. Many households remain vulnerable to high energy costs, which is why I am concerned about the reduction in funding for the Warm Homes plan. Investing in warmer homes cuts bills and reduces carbon emissions is one of the smartest investment any government can make, particularly for families and older residents already struggling with the cost of living. The Budget and the government's wider plan placed considerable emphasis on devolution. Warwickshire is a long way away from a mayor. People in my constituency want local services that are responsive and rooted in the places they serve.

Any reorganisation or devolution must strengthen local democracy and local voices because whether we are talking about high streets, fuel poverty, housing or hospitality, the people closest to those challenges are often the people best placed to solve them. For my constituents in Stratford on Avon, this Budget does not go far enough to support small businesses, tackle

**** Possible New Speaker ****

fuel poverty and help communities thrive. Thank you. Rachael Taylor. Thank you, Madam.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, Madam. Deputy Speaker. This Budget puts families and businesses at its heart, providing breathing space heart, providing breathing space with the cost of living. Today, while giving people fresh hope for the future. Now, I'm also proud to the future. Now, I'm also proud to be the granddaughter of a coal miner. And this government has done so much already to right historic injustices in the Mineworkers Pension Scheme. I welcome the commitment to end the surplus sharing arrangement and standstill mechanism. But this only writes part of that injustice. Since 1994, successive governments have taken more than 4.4 billion from the scheme in return for a guarantee that has cost the public purse nothing.

It cannot be right that the remaining 1.2 billion in the guarantor fund has still not been
20:32
Rachel Taylor Portrait Rachel Taylor MP (North Warwickshire and Bedworth, Labour)
-
-
released to benefit former miners and their widows. For many, time is running out and I ask again, as I have before, that the Chancellor looks at this to deliver justice looks at this to deliver justice for mine workers across the country. I particularly welcome the measures to tackle rising energy bills, to tackle rising energy bills, though with conflicts overseas pushing up prices at home. Families are understandably worried about are understandably worried about how much it costs to heat their homes. That is why the £100 household energy payment is so important in North Warwickshire and Bedworth.

Around 37,920 properties will benefit. In a constituency like mine. Driving is not a luxury for so many people. It's the only reliable option to get to work, take their children to school and go about their daily lives. It's why my parents made me learn to drive as soon as I turned 17. I made sure residents concerns were heard about fuel costs, and I'm delighted the Chancellor has listened. Extending the £0.05 fuel duty cut until July 2027. For a family already struggling to make ends meet, every extra pound at the pump matters and the impact of fuel duty goes beyond families filling up their cars.

It affects the lorry drivers delivering food to our supermarkets, the businesses transporting goods across the country and ultimately the prices we all pay at the checkout. Now, before coming to Parliament, I spent 20 years working as a property solicitor in a high street firm in my constituency. One of the things I loved most about that job was helping first time buyers. I remember the happiness of seeing young people come through my door, proud of the amount they'd saved for their deposit. They'd tell me about their plans for the future. These were people putting down roots in our communities, and there was nothing quite like the moment they finally collected their keys.

But the longer I did that job, the fewer first time buyers came through my door. I watched as owning a home became increasingly out of reach for young people, particularly those who didn't have the bank of mum and dad to fall back on. That's not the future I want for the next generation in North Warwickshire and Bedworth, and that's why I'm delighted that the Chancellor has announced the new 4.7 billion, your first home scheme, which is expected to help around 70,001st time buyers onto the property ladder. This Budget is taking action on the very issues my constituents have raised with me the cost of heating their homes, filling up their cars, supporting the industries they work in and helping their children and grandchildren onto the housing ladder.

It's a Budget that gives families breathing space. Today supports the businesses and workers who keep our country moving, and offers young people fresh hope for

**** Possible New Speaker ****

the future. Gagan Mohindra thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I personally thank Nick from

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Can I personally thank Nick from my office for his help in this speech? Unsurprisingly, I'm disappointed by the Chancellor's first Budget for a new administration that spent a by election and leadership campaign claiming they had all sorts of claiming they had all sorts of plans and ambitions to fix the economy after the previous Labour administration were constantly administration were constantly talking us down. We now have a do no harm Budget that does decidedly
20:35
Gagan Mohindra Portrait Mr Gagan Mohindra MP (South West Hertfordshire, Conservative)
-
-
little to help pensioners from the armed forces support young people out north to back the businesses out north to back the businesses who are essential to creating jobs. The tax burdens continue to rise above record levels. Inflation has above record levels. Inflation has not been at the 2% target since before the Budget of this Labour government, and the welfare bill is government, and the welfare bill is set to go up by another £60 billion, with neither the Prime Minister nor the Chancellor willing to commit to the Chancellor willing to commit to reducing even that in this Parliament.

As Leader of the Opposition said, we are now spending more on debt interest than on the army and schools combined, which is clearly wrong, especially at a time when we face some of the biggest and most rapidly evolving threats since the Cold War. And yet the Chancellor, who resigned as defence Secretary over the refusal of the previous administration to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP. GDP has now delivered a Budget that has deferred the difficult choices necessary to keep our country safe until next year, in favour of the Prime Minister's plan to prioritise Social security over national security.

Young people are already struggling for support to get into education, employment or training. The increase in employer National Insurance contributions, and now the further increase in minimum wage, will make young people even more expensive for small businesses to hire, while pushing more and more workers into higher tax brackets. This was the Chancellor's first opportunity to take bold steps to correct the errors of the previous Labour budgets, and provide support for businesses and entrepreneurs, which would have been a notable break from the massive tax hikes and tax burdens that continue to fall on businesses under this government so far.

The Prime Minister, the Chancellor, needed to use this opportunity to take drastic action to slash the size of the state and get Britain working again, to support those who are working and encouraging those who are not working to be able to do so and getting to work. My constituents are happy to support those in genuine need, but every year this Labour government is coming back for more money from the same hard working people they promised not to raise taxes on to fund an ever increasing welfare state. This do no harm Budget has led to the OBR forecast on inflation, economic growth, unemployment and living standards all worsen and has left my constituents disappointed.

I hope and conclusion, I hope that the Prime Minister's ten year plan and the upcoming spending Review has some good, well, well needed good news and see us. Economic support for businesses and young

**** Possible New Speaker ****

people in South West Hertfordshire. Jamie Stone Bank. Mr. speaker, my speech about some of the nonsense we heard from some of the nonsense we heard from the SNP earlier. The Budget is going up by £600 million because the choice is made in this Budget for Scotland's public services, all for Scotland's public services, all up by £18 billion since Labour came into office. In the £650 million into office. In the £650 million cut is inadvertently misleading. This House, and I may say something This House, and I may say something outside the house which is a wee bit rude.

This Budget abolishes standing charges. It abolishes VAT on electricity bills and gives us £100 to 1.8 million Scottish households between band A and band D, if we get it confirmed that the SNP chose to hand it over. In that way, the prices at the pumps that
20:38
Euan Stainbank Portrait Euan Stainbank MP (Falkirk, Labour)
-
-
our constituents have complained about have been directly funded by the US and Israel's current war in the US and Israel's current war in Iran, but we have made a choice to freeze fuel duty, which I welcome and maintain. The £0.05 fuel duty cut till June alongside the red diesel duty cut, which will be welcomed to many sectors who are welcomed to many sectors who are eligible, especially agriculture for working people in Falkirk. The permanent increase to the tax free mileage should help traders working mileage should help traders working from their own vans in my constituency, and I will also welcome that.

The trading allowance has been tripled to 3000. This Budget also supports pensioners rightly, for many pensioners in my constituency who live on simply the State Pension, as it has risen to. Many have ended up with the administrative irritation of paying small amounts of income tax with the paperwork and worry that that brings, and especially for those in the lowest income. I welcome that the new pension tax allowance from April 27th in this Budget addresses that directly, and pensioners whose only income is no more than the full State Pension, will not be paying income tax to deliver good growth in every in my postcode.

As I said last week, it is vital that we invest in the Grangemouth Industrial Complex. I welcome the scheme and the backdating to 2026. But as other colleagues have said, I do think whilst acknowledging the heightened cost of extending it to every manufacturing business, I believe about £3.5 billion, I do believe we should look at extending it, especially for manufacturing businesses who are reliant on gas and whose decarbonisation timescales are not as quick as we may like. I also welcome the restatement that the government's intent to include refined products in the carbon border adjustment mechanism.

It will be a vital tool in correcting the unlevel playing field that undermined domestic refining the same unlevel playing field that led to the closure of Grangemouth. Because it was not dealt with over multiple years across. Party group wrote to the Treasury regarding this, and I do think it is important that we put a deadline on when we are going to be introducing this, because this positive signal does need to be translated into real protection for our existing refining sector, as well as the refining sector that the Prime Minister rightly believes has huge potential to deliver for Grangemouth.

Now, to turn to the point about Project Acorn, I agree with the principle of getting better value for money for taxpayers across government capital plans so that we can free up money for defence. And I do agree that that should include energy projects in our constituency and some of the rhetoric that we have heard from the SNP and their Ministers, and this has been downright, downright reckless and self-defeating and actually supporting the project. However, I hope the Minister can acknowledge that much of the reasonable scrutiny on this has not been met with the clearest of answers.

Therefore, I would like to hear confirmation that the new route for previously committed funding has the support of all currently existing and committed commercial partners. Confirmation on the amount of funding that has been committed already that is not being changed. Why funding has been changed for Acorn, but not for other CCS projects such as Viking and Hampshire. More broadly, what changes will mean for the practice of reindustrialisation in communities such as Grangemouth, who are supposed to benefit from this infrastructure, especially considering that they do not yet have, let's say, a fantastic experience with the debt equity model of the National Wealth Fund.

This Budget does create breathing space for families in Falkirk worried about the end of the month, and for people and for the poorest pensioners dreading a tax letter. It lifts some of the pressure this government has shown in this Budget. It will act for working people, pensioners and industry. I would ask Ministers to turn that breathing space into future certainty, particularly for the industry that can define the next

**** Possible New Speaker ****

50 years positively. The new jobs as it has done in the past 50. John Milne thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Deputy Speaker. This Budget has around 100 separate measures, but most would never have featured in the previous Chancellor's budgets, not because of any particular policy difference, because they are just too small because they are just too small listed as she goes more. Let's see. Let this grind to a complete halt. As far as taxation goes, by far the biggest impact comes from a policy that wasn't even mentioned, and
20:42
John Milne Portrait John Milne MP (Horsham, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
that is the continued freeze on personal tax thresholds. This year alone, it means another half million people will start paying million people will start paying tax for the first time, and a further half million will be pushed into a higher tax bracket. All a function of that handy Chancellor's trick fiscal track. Understandably, trick fiscal track. Understandably, conservative opposition gives the government an easy ride on this as it was their idea in the first place. Now, when it comes to welfare, the Critical Milburn Review and Tim's review have both been conveniently kicked down around to the other side of the Budget.

But here, the issues we face are not what people think. It's been said so many times that everyone assumes it must be true that millions of people are getting PIP or UC health Awards for mild anxiety. The appeal of this story is that we can slash social support for vulnerable people and actually feel morally good about it. Unfortunately, it's just not true in reality. Absolutely no one gets PIP for mild anxiety or severe anxiety, or any form of mental health condition. That's because PIP isn't awarded according to your condition. Rather, applicants are assessed according to their daily abilities or lack of them.

Whether they can wash themselves, cook for themselves or manage short distances. Walking. There isn't even a category for mild anxiety. I find it incredible that politicians, including members who are the actual spokespeople for their parties on welfare, can continue to ask for something which they must know by now is not possible. What chance have we got for making smart reforms of the economy if politicians can't even get the basic facts straight? So while we continue to wait for all the missing parts of this Budget over the coming weeks and months, I would urge caution. Welfare cuts are just a right wing version of the Magic Money tree.

As a proportion of GDP today, as opposed to GDP today. Spend on non pension welfare is roughly the same as it was in the mid 80s, when a certain Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, and at that time the defence Budget was twice what it is today. So clearly the current level of welfare spend is perfectly compatible with meeting our defence targets. And welfare isn't the reason that our defence Budget is in such trouble. The peace dividend didn't go to UC and PIP. It went to the NHS and pensions. Above all, this is a challenge caused by a general decline in the economy, not welfare.

Yes, it's always important to control welfare, welfare spend and I support that. But slashing welfare on the basis of an arbitrary financial target invented simply. So it's enough to pay for some dramatic manifesto pledge is not a credible path to anything. So to conclude, Madam Deputy Speaker, what we have is a Budget that doesn't seek to do anything very much about anything. The real

**** Possible New Speaker ****

battles have yet to come. Thank you. Benton. Glenn Mr Speaker for my. Constituency of Calder Valley

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Constituency of Calder Valley and across the country, life is hard and it hasn't shown signs of hard and it hasn't shown signs of getting easier. The last government was the first in decades to preside over a fall in the standard of over a fall in the standard of living, and with Trump's war in the Middle East, things are unlikely to get better as quickly as we'd like get better as quickly as we'd like to see it. That's why I welcome support being provided to households facing higher energy costs. For many families, an extra £100 will not transform their circumstances overnight and no one is pretending otherwise.

But every pound matters, and this support matters too. In Calderdale, almost nine out of ten houses are expected to be eligible for the £100 household energy payment. That means the overwhelming majority of my Calder Valley constituents will receive direct support this winter. For many people, the support will
20:46
Josh Fenton-Glynn Portrait Josh Fenton-Glynn MP (Calder Valley, Labour)
-
-
ease some of the pressures on their household budgets exactly the moment they need it the most. I welcome the expansion of the Warm Homes discount to. By widening the eligibility. The government has eligibility. The government has almost doubled the number of households in the scheme to 6 million families. That means millions more families receiving £150 off their energy bills this winter. Too often, those on the winter. Too often, those on the lowest incomes face what is known as the poverty premium, made famous by Terry Pratchett with his Captain Vimes boots theory of economics. The less money you have, the more things cost.

We see it in our insurance costs, we see it in the cost of credit, and importantly, we see it in the cost of fuel. That's why it will make a difference to end standing charges. It means that those who use less energy will pay less. Helping those households is not simply about fairness, it's also good economics. The money from these measures will not sit unused. It won't be stored in the Cayman Islands thousands of miles away. It will be spent in local communities, on local high streets helping local people. People will pay bills with it.

They'll buy essentials, they'll support local businesses and they will contribute to their high streets. The same principle applies to our businesses across Calder Valley. Business owners are ambitious to innovate. They're determined to succeed, and they want it to be easier to invest, grow and create jobs. And whether it's energy costs, red tape or being locked out of government contracts, for many, their main concern has been staying afloat, not growing or taking on new people. And that's why I welcome some of the changes to business rates announced in this Budget. Raising the thresholds for small business rates, relief for retail, hospitality and leisure from 12,000 to 18,000 means that 70,000 additional businesses will pay no business rates at all.

And in Calder Valley, that will make a huge difference to our collection of independent shops, cafes and pubs. Speaking of the pubs, I'm quite proud to see support for Britain's small independent breweries. Calder Valley is home to a fantastic independent breweries including Eagle's Crag and Vocations, ones that I'm proud to have made a significant contribution to over the years. But finding room to grow hasn't been easy, and the support announced in this Budget will be welcome across the brewing sector. While some budgets look worse as time goes on, the famous Omnishambles and Liz Truss Budget being one of those, this is one that will look better help for small businesses.

The support for households. This Budget backs working people. This Budget backs British industry. It backs communities in Calder Valley and I'm proud to back it.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Robbie Moore. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Chancellor's big phrase in this The Chancellor's big phrase in this Budget has been breathing space. It has been said time and time again, has been said time and time again, but it's also utterly false because the Chancellor hasn't given businesses any breathing space at businesses any breathing space at all. There is no breathing space on employers national insurance. Labour's job tax stays exactly where it is, punishing employers where it is, punishing employers for yet another year. No breathing space on wages. The national Living Wage has actually gone up by three and a 3.9% from April.

On top of
20:49
Robbie Moore Portrait Robbie Moore MP (Keighley and Ilkley, Conservative)
-
-
the Employers Rights Act, with nothing announced to help employers meet the cost. Even the OBR itself meet the cost. Even the OBR itself warns that these policies will seriously damage job creation in this country, and there has been no breathing space on business rates, no real breathing space. The Chancellor says that he's freezing business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure in real terms. But yet the British Retail Consortium has quite rightly pointed out that this is just all smoke and mirrors. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is not breathing space at all. This is our businesses being stifled yet again by this Labour government.

And I ask the Minister, what are their ambitions for British businesses? Because it seems evidently clear from this Budget that they don't have any. They are taxing our British businesses again and again and again. And this all matters, Madam Deputy Speaker, because it is impacting people in my constituency across Keighley and Ilkley. It is full of hard working people, and I think of those independent shops on Cavendish Street and low streets fighting to keep Caerphilly a thriving place. The cafes, boutiques and family businesses on the Grove and Brook Street in Ilkley and those businesses right across Silsden, Steeton and Riddlesden and our wider area who are working incredibly hard.

The. The pubs, the trade tradespeople, the hairdressers, the start ups, all of which are hard working people. Yet this government thinks that employers of those small independent businesses are not workers. Madam Deputy Speaker, they put out that narrative as if they need more tax. And let me tell you about one of those businesses that I met just yesterday, the Turkey Inn in Goose Eye, a much loved local pub by visitors alike. I called in there last night to have a meal with them. The owners of this pub, madam, Madam Deputy Speaker, are grafters. They produce excellent food, second to none.

They support our local community with many local activities. They do everything right, working day in, day out to support the community. But yesterday on the back of this Budget, they announced that they are cutting their opening hours from seven days a week to just four. And they were clear about why. In their own words, they said, with no measures in this Budget to help small hospitality businesses and local pubs like ours, we must take this step. That is the verdict, Madam Deputy Speaker, not a politician, not of a Labour think tank, but hard working people in my constituency that have been impacted by now.

The third Labour Budget and the Turkey in are not alone. I speak to pubs and small independent businesses every single week in my constituency and they are telling me the same thing. Labour is not on the side of our hard working businesses and it is impacting them. This Labour Budget has not provided any living space at all, so this government must wake up and listen to our small and medium sized businesses who are the backbone of our communities, the backbone of our local economies, because they are pushing them to breaking point if they don't wake up and listen, I fear for all of them.

A simple tax policy of tax, tax, tax on our businesses with more regulation is stifling

**** Possible New Speaker ****

businesses, not helping them thrive. Yeah. Sureena Brackenridge Madam Deputy Speaker For most people in Wolverhampton and Willenhall, the real test of a Budget is simple. real test of a Budget is simple. Does it make life a little easier? And I hear an absolutely understand the pressure of household bills, the cost of raising a family and the challenges facing our local the challenges facing our local businesses. That is why I will continue to take their concerns right here in Parliament and make sure that their voices are heard at every level of government, at every
20:53
Sureena Brackenridge Portrait Sureena Brackenridge MP (Wolverhampton North East, Labour)
-
-
opportunity that I get. Of course, everyone would like more giveaways everyone would like more giveaways in a Budget, but many people also understand that the government has a responsibility with the state of our public finances, and we've seen the consequences of getting that the consequences of getting that balance wrong. The wider energy and cost of living support package cost of living support package during the 2022 energy crisis cost taxpayers around £51 billion net in one year alone. That required extraordinary borrowing, adding to our national debt and the interest payments that taxpayers, including future generations, will continue to carry.

This Budget takes a very different approach to providing immediate support. Around 44,900 properties in Wolverhampton North East, almost 99% are in council tax bands A to D, and that means a large number of local households will benefit from the £100 household energy payment from January, alongside the extension of 0% VAT on electricity, expected to take around £50 off the annual Ofgem price cap. So that means around £150 in combined support. Martin Lewis, the famous consumer champion, has highlighted that the £100 payment could broadly cover the forecast increase in energy costs for a typical household over the three winter months, and I'm also pleased to see the end of gas standing charges, especially for low gas usage households.

Importantly, the government is asking banks to contribute more and that helps pay for this support rather than relying on borrowing. I particularly welcome the help for our high street, raising the small business rates relief threshold from 12,000 to £18,000 means many more independent shops, cafes and restaurants will pay no business rates at all. For some owners, that could mean a saving of around £300 a month. Across the West Midlands, around 52% of retail, hospitality and leisure properties will pay no business rates. And for qualifying businesses that still have a bill, there will be a real terms freeze in the business rates multiplier here in Wolverhampton North East, around 975 premises will benefit, and I'm also pleased that ten schools in Wolverhampton North East now have secured free Breakfast Club funding.

That means more children starting the school day with a good breakfast ready to learn, and parents having a little more help with the pressures of family life. People are still feeling the pressure and no one pretends otherwise. But we have to be able to afford the support that we offer and pay for it responsibly. There is more to do and I will keep

**** Possible New Speaker ****

making that case here in Parliament. Claire Young Deputy Speaker The

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Claire Young Deputy Speaker The Chancellor has called this a breathing space Budget, but it only seems to be a breathing space for the government to put off the hard the government to put off the hard decisions. It's not a breathing space for my Thornbury and Yate constituents, for frozen tax and constituents, for frozen tax and student loan repayment thresholds. It's not a breathing space for my local businesses. The rise in employer national Insurance employer national Insurance contributions has not been reversed. There is no emergency VAT cut for hospitality to help our high streets and business rates, which have repeatedly raised in this House.

The Budget just tinkers with a system that needs wholesale reform. It's not a breathing space for farmers. No change in the family farm tax. The cut to fertiliser tariffs will make little difference when, as the NFU has pointed out, much already arrives tariff free. I'm disappointed the Budget does not treat food security
20:58
Claire Young Portrait Claire Young MP (Thornbury and Yate, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
as national security. It is not a breathing space for local transport users. In a Budget that mentions users. In a Budget that mentions the North repeatedly, the West barely gets a look in. South Leicestershire is mentioned once, a Leicestershire is mentioned once, a brief reference to a mass transit system we've been hearing about for decades and is unlikely to touch decades and is unlikely to touch our rural villages. A £1 bus fare cap and discounted rail fares would have helped families in the short have helped families in the short term, and investment in rural transport would help them in the longer term.

The West of England is a growth engine outside of London. It deserves more ambition than this. It's not a breathing space for energy bill payers. Suppliers forecast that the price cap will rise by around a quarter in January, while welcome the £100 for this winter and the promise of scrapping gas standing charges in the future does not touch the sides, scrapping the standing charge will save people just £45 on average, and only for those who actually use gas. 1 in 5 properties in Thornbury and Yate heat their home with oil. They have no price cap at all, and there is nothing to make sure that the removal of import tariffs on kerosene gets passed to consumers.

 The surest way to bring down bills is to insulate homes and move people off volatile oil and gas. So why is there a £1 billion cut in the Warm Homes plan? And what of the promised growth? When will we hear about plans for new nuclear Oldbury? The outcome of Gibbons review was promised this autumn. If data centres that meet the new British data centre covenant get priority grid connections, then, given the problem with providing new grid connections, where is the grid capacity for new homes to meet the government's own housing targets? And where is the investment in skills in the rural west of England, so that our local young people can access the technical jobs available?

To conclude, this Budget is a missed opportunity to provide a real breathing space for our constituents, our businesses and our economy. Amanda Hack Madam.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Deputy Speaker and thank you for giving us breathing space with. A little bit more time.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

It's a pleasure to be responding to this Budget, taking talking about growth in every postcode. North West Leicestershire is a former mining area, so welcome. I welcome the progress made on the miners pension. I welcome the miners pension. I welcome the confirmation that surplus sharing will understand still will be abolished to protect bonus pensions,
21:00
Amanda Hack Portrait Amanda Hack MP (North West Leicestershire, Labour)
-
-
abolished to protect bonus pensions, helping members benefit from the success of their pensions. No government has ever done more on pensions for former mineworkers than this one. But as the Chancellor said himself, the job is not finished. It's clear that more work is needed to resolve the substantial undisputed guaranteed fund surplus currently held within the NPS. The miners who powered our country and our homes, who supported us, deserve our support now, and I want to reassure my constituents in North West Leicestershire that I will do just that. Madam Deputy Speaker North West Leicestershire is also home to one of the three one of three sites in the only inland Freeport in the UK.

However, the site in Leicestershire has created considerable concern, which I share particularly for dies with a 825 year old village with heritage status. So whilst the new data centre covenant is helpful, I worry that this will only apply to AI and not the creation of the new Mega sheds, which more broadly impacts communities such as mine. The other two sites in the Freeport are covered by the East Midlands Mayor, so I welcome the Chancellor's announcement on devolution and the settlement for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, something I have long called for, and I look forward to continuing those discussions on how devolution will deliver greater benefits and strategic powers to make sure the Freeport site for Leicestershire has a mayor fighting their corner.

The power offered to mayors on transport could be transformational. For Leicestershire, transport, connectivity is a significant barrier to growth locally. My constituents. Eli spoke to me recently about the poor public transport had on their access to further education. They said. I wake up before six in the morning to catch my 7 a.m. bus to college. It's always packed, standing room only and there's too many students. But the capacity of public services, even if I do get everything right, the buses are then unreliable, either being late or completely absent. It's treated by as my responsibility by my college.

A lot is said about demand in rural areas. In fact, Arriva increased their patronage by 30% for one of my local routes because they started a bus earlier connecting a route to another village at Mount Lary. More kids to get to college. Just think about what we could achieve if we want to grow even further. North West Leicestershire still has no passenger rail service anywhere in my constituency, making making us home to the two largest towns in the country without any access to rail, restricting growth and investment. If we want growth in every postcode, then transport has to be a priority.

Madam Deputy Speaker North West Leicestershire has so much potential, including our SME sector. I know this will surprise you, but nearly 30 years ago I wrote my dissertation on small business support. So I know how much we limit our own growth if we fail to invest in small businesses. I've always advocated for dedicated business support, just like we saw in the universal offer that we had when business links. Now what we have is a patchwork, which is now devolution dependent. Another reason why

**** Possible New Speaker ****

devolution for Leicestershire is so vitally important. And finally, of course, on that. Point, I'm.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Point, I'm. I thank the hon. Member for giving way. We are neighbours and friends in our neck of the woods. I friends in our neck of the woods. I benefit from being part of a morality that can have many devolved to my region, and she does devolved to my region, and she does not. And so does she agree with me that as well as we work together now, it could be even better if we perhaps were part of the same pot perhaps were part of the same pot of funding, same overall leadership. Yeah. I thank my hon.

Friend for making that incredibly important point. The East Midlands mayor doesn't cover the whole of the East Midlands, and I think this gives us an opportunity to continue to talk, because I've got a little bit left. The Chancellor confirmed that the the land sale to social housing providers will now be VAT free. After two decades working in the social housing sector. I cannot tell you the difference this will make to social homes and growth in our communities, but also as a as a builder for growth, house building is a massive step forward. It helps the brick manufacturers in my constituency, and it helps builders and local tradespeople to grow.

I think this is an important step underestimate.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you. Jim Shannon thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker and it's a real Deputy Speaker and it's a real pleasure to speak in this debate. And thank you for calling me. I wish to, first of all, welcome some of the good things that there are in the Budget, because it's not all bad news, by the way. But but I'm bad news, by the way. But but I'm I'm going to don't put your thumb up just yet. You know, I'm coming to the the parts where I have some concerns and the concerns are real. The concerns are important and the concerns are Northern Ireland based.

First, let us look at the. That the. I'm concerned for the squeeze families of Strangford who look at this autumn Budget and have little cause for celebration. First, let us look at the absolute uncertainty facing our local businesses community in Northern Ireland. We
21:05
Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon MP (Strangford, Democratic Unionist Party)
-
-
see standard small business rates relief being permanently expanded in England. Yet there's no zero in England. Yet there's no zero certainty that our small and medium sized enterprises back home will see an equivalent benefit. Our see an equivalent benefit. Our highly capable SMEs within the bedrock of the Northern Irish economy need ironclad guarantees, not the vague hopes the working middle class. They go to work, they middle class. They go to work, they pay their taxes. They tried to build something for their children, and yet they're treated like a bottomless well of revenue by this Treasury.

Take, for example, the hard working family making city of Strangford. The the. The school teacher, the main the mid level nurse. They managed to put away a modest amount of savings to help fund their children's university education. They will get no help for their children's education and future, and yet will be forced to work on past retirement to ensure that their child has a chance at the future. And nowhere is that clear, Madam Deputy Speaker, that in the cruel and punitive approach to family inheritance tax, our agriculture sector in Northern Ireland is in a state of absolute panic.

I've spoken with the Ulster Farmers Union. They tell me that generations of family farms, the very lifeblood of our rural communities, are now halting investment decisions because of inheritance tax fears, passing a family business or a family farm down to the next generation isn't a luxury, it's a way of life. And this Budget threatens to dismantle this, that and the consequential and the Barnett formula. But let us be entirely realistic. These Barnett consequentials are totally inadequate. And why is that the case? Throwing a general lump sum at the Northern Ireland Executive and hoping it covers police, health and education is a failure of governance.

We need an allocation method like the Wales equivalent, not a funding that is not fit for purpose and that has to be sorted out. We need a local, genuine need, not a rigid, detached mathematical formula to protect our middle class, safeguard our family farms and give northern specific, targeted support that desperately needs our hard working middle class. They see absolutely no benefit for themselves, even less for their children when a parent works 50 hours a week, Madam Deputy Speaker, pays their taxes, pays big taxes, plays by the rules, and still cannot see a path to a better future or a stable inheritance for the next generation.

That social contract is broken. If this government continues to bleed the middle class dry to paper over the cracks of their own fiscal failures, they will destroy the very aspiration that keeps this nation moving forward, this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Budget offers no security on defence, no reason to build a business, to work hard. It relies on the ethic of some to make up for their lack of ethic and too many. And government must look closely at the people of pernicious because they need to breathe. And I don't believe that this Budget provides just that.

Thank you very much.
21:08
David Burton-Sampson Portrait David Burton-Sampson MP (Southend West and Leigh, Labour)
-
-
David Burton-Sampson thank. >> David Burton-Sampson thank. >> You, Madam Speaker. >> And I want to start by thanking my right hon. Friend the Chancellor for the measures he laid out in his Budget last week and his focus on giving my constituents some breathing space as we navigate breathing space as we navigate through tough global headwinds. And like him, I too want to pay tribute and offer my thanks to the former Chancellor, my right hon. Friend for Leeds West and Pudsey. As is clear through her work and clear focus on fiscal discipline, she helped stabilise the economy despite significant headwinds and created the headroom to enable us to take the positive action.

We are in this Budget. I'm lucky to have my office on Leigh Road in Leigh on Sea, which is along with Leigh Broadway, a thriving high street full of independent small shops and hospitality businesses like Tiny Sandwich Shop or Juice Bay, which does fantastic smoothies and juices and float on records all new businesses. It's great to see so many new businesses opening. Despite the challenges we are facing of late, this shows me confidence in our economy and belief in our country. And it's not just Leigh Mess, a delicious Turkish restaurant which recently opened in Westcliff, and I can vouch for this as I had my dinner there on Saturday.

However, I have listened to businesses in my constituency who tell me that sometimes things can be challenging. That's why I'm delighted by the government's announcement that more retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will be completely exempt from business rates. That means that around 52% of of these type of businesses in the East of England will pay absolutely no business rates whatsoever. That's help for businesses. An additional 803 484 businesses in my constituency will have their business rates frozen in real terms until 2029, giving business owners time to plan ahead, whilst many others will see their business rates reduced.

And when my constituents get back home from the days out shopping, they will know that they have support with paying their bills. In addition to extending the zero rate of VAT on electricity, an enormous 39,520 households in my constituency will benefit from the £100 payment to combat rising energy costs. I know this will help so many people, from young families through to pensioners. And speaking of pensioners, I want to welcome the excellent news that pensioners on low incomes will not have to pay income tax on their State Pension, and I'm so glad to hear the announcement that pensioners who rely solely on the State Pension income will get to keep all of it.

 The Budget also also provides the security that pensions will continue to rise in line with earnings, while the adjusted triple lock will mean we can focus on providing a high quality national care service. Finally, I was really glad to hear that self-employed fathers and partners will now get statutory paternity pay. This is something I've personally championed alongside many colleagues, and I want to pay a particular tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth North, for her work in this area and championing this cause. This Budget shows the government is listening to people in my constituency and is taking action to fix the issues they have raised, the constituency, the constituents I spoke to at the weekend know just how difficult the times are that we are in and that we face, and the grateful for everything this government is doing to support them.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, you. Paul Kohler thank. You, Madam Deputy Speaker. I refer members to my entry in the refer members to my entry in the Register of Interests. This country faces. Fundamental problems facing the top may have changed, but once the top may have changed, but once again, Labour has shown itself incapable of making the tough calls. This morning I hosted a Post-budget roundtable to meet local employers in my constituency. I regret to
21:13
Paul Kohler Portrait Mr Paul Kohler MP (Wimbledon, Liberal Democrat)
-
-
report the business community in Wimbledon shares my concerns about this short term lacklustre Budget by kicking the can down the road. This Budget has failed the businesses that are critical to growing the economy. Rather than providing business with a breathing space, the Chancellor has left many of them drowning with crippling taxes and excessive regulation, raising the business rates relief threshold to £18,000 is, of course, welcome. But high streets across my constituency are Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden and Morden will see little benefit. Craig Herring, the CEO of Love Wimbledon, informed me today this change will benefit an estimated 1% of the businesses in his bid.

What other changes in the pipeline? Making matters worse, a company who manages fantastic serviced office space for new businesses in Wimbledon tell me new restrictions on business rate relief mean they will have to increase rents by up to 25%, a huge cost for Start-ups. Business rates are crippling my local businesses. Gina Conway runs an award winning hair and beauty salon in Wimbledon. She employs 38 people and trains up to 20 apprentices apprentices every year. But Gina tells me the pressure from most salon owners is too much to bear. The long shadow of Covid, soaring energy bills, fat and crippling business rates are killing high street businesses.

I was honoured to be present for the excellent maiden speech from the member of Holborn and St Pancras. I own a bar in her constituency in Covent Garden, so the member feels like my MP is also me and I, and I will invite her one day to it. It also means I know first hand how the night time economy is suffering. Since 2020, the UK has lost almost 3 in 10 late night venues and across the sector we continue to lose the equivalent of 13 businesses every week. The changes for self-assessment taxpayers are just as worrying.

The Chancellor said he would champion the small British firms that give character to our communities. Instead, 2029 risks becoming a brutal cash crunch, with 18 months of tax squeezed into 12, increasing the tax on rental incomes are also misguided. As the OBR has outlined. This will inevitably result in fewer homes to rent and higher rents. I fear the new Prime Minister is repeating his predecessor's mistakes. His only plan is to have a plan, as the Budget makes no substantive progress on addressing welfare spending, social care or defence readiness. The only glimmer of hope is the Prime Minister's recent comments on Europe that even here, my constituents in Wimbledon still do not know what he really intends.

According to Goldman Sachs, a close relationship with the EU could boost our economy by at least £60 billion per year. So the PM must be bold. He must tear up his predecessor's red lines, seek unfettered access to the world's largest market and let British

**** Possible New Speaker ****

business realise its full potential. Thank you. Mr. Newbury.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. In this third day of the Budget debate, you worry about repeating what has already about repeating what has already been said. So I will focus on two issues of particular importance to my communities in Cannock Chase. But briefly before those, I want to first welcome the cost of living support in this Budget. £100 back support in this Budget. £100 back on council tax VAT kept off electricity bills for longer standing, charges taken off gas and the continuation of the fuel duty freeze.

These measures won't solve every financial pressure, but they will provide welcome relief at a
21:16
Josh Newbury Portrait Josh Newbury MP (Cannock Chase, Labour)
-
-
time when it is needed most. Now, turning to my beautiful home county of Staffordshire, which will, thanks to this government, soon be able to catch up with the likes of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. With the announcement of a mayoral With the announcement of a mayoral strategic authority. This is a massive opportunity, particularly for our towns, which, as my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford Friend the Member for Stafford always said, must be at the heart of that national growth and renewal that this government stands for. that this government stands for. Our big cities have done well, but it's the turn of the towns and having those powers and funding that comes with devolution gives us the tools that we need to turn our potential into reality.

Perhaps surprisingly to many, our towns have, on average more than twice the proportion of their workforce employed in manufacturing as our cities around 9%, compared with 4%. Yet employment growth over the last decade has been almost twice as high in cities, at 10.7%, compared with just 5.4% in our towns. We can't seriously talk about rebalancing our economy whilst allowing that gap to persist, but that requires investment and, crucially, proper transport connections for too many people, particularly young people and those without access to a car, getting to work, college or an apprenticeship remains unnecessarily difficult.

And that's why devolution matters, because a mayoral authority with meaningful powers over transport skills and economic development gives Staffordshire the opportunity to join those things up and be the masters of our own destiny. I hope it will also bring some much needed stability to our county's leadership. Since last May, Staffordshire County Council has had not one, not two, not three, but four leaders, courtesy of the chaos of reform UK, Staffordshire needs a little less political musical chairs and a lot more long term focus on the priorities of our communities. Turning to the second issue, the Mineworkers Pension Scheme, as the proud representative of nearly a thousand MPs members, I will always raise my voice in support of those who risk their lives to power our nation alongside them and my fellow coalfield Labour MPs, we press the government to release the 1.2 billion Guarantor's fund and the standstill mechanism, and make sure all future surpluses go to those who earn that money in the first place.

The MPs Investment Reserve was returned to members by this Labour government two years ago, and the Chancellor's decision in this Budget to end surplus sharing and the standstill are major steps forward. However, we are deeply disappointed that the Budget didn't include the transfer of the Guarantor's fund, the measure that would have put money back into the pockets of our retired miners. There was a clear expectation that this was going to be done. Finally righting the wrongs of the last 32 years. I welcome the Chancellor saying at that Dispatch Box that this will be done, but we must never forget that this money came from the graft of our miners.

It's their deferred wages and it belongs in their bank accounts. With 100 MPs members passing away each and every week. We must move as quickly as possible, and we certainly cannot wait for next year's Budget. Madam Deputy Speaker, this Budget brought forward support with the cost of living, and it's allowing Staffordshire to take control of its own destiny. I wish it had seen full justice for our MPs members, but we are so close now to ending their fight and they can count me as an ally right until the very end.

Thank you.
21:20
Johanna Baxter Portrait Johanna Baxter MP (Paisley and Renfrewshire South, Labour)
-
-
Johanna Baxter thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The cost of living is the number one issue that's raised with me on the doorsteps by constituents across Paisley and Renfrewshire South. So there is Renfrewshire South. So there is much to welcome in this Budget, which gives much needed breathing space for many working households. The increase to the national minimum wage is not something that we on these benches think is a bad thing. It's a good thing that increase to the mileage rate, which will help working people, and I am glad the Chancellor has extended the VAT cut on energy bills and will look to abolish gas standing charges.

I also welcome the £100 household energy payment for households in council tax bands A to D, and I am hopeful that the SNP will pass this on to constituents

**** Possible New Speaker ****

across my constituency. I'll happily give way. Thanks for giving way to a call

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thanks for giving way to a call on the SNP to extend the business rates relief that our Labour Government have provided, especially considering they have especially considering they have maintained a stricter system for high streets such as in Paisley and Falkirk. Historically.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Falkirk. Historically. I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. I absolutely agree that they should pass on this much needed change, and I also note that the Budget provides an additional £600 million for the Scottish Government, and I hope that they will actually spend it improving our public services. Today's debate focuses on achieving good growth in every postcode, an ambition I wholeheartedly support. One route to growth in postcodes par one, par two, par three, par four. I could go on, but you get my drift is by revitalising our high street in Paisley. Paisley is Scotland's largest town.

We have a shovel ready project in the middle of our high street. It received planning permission four years ago and it is regenerating the Paisley Centre and it needs governments to come together to realise that ambition. But it could bring 330 jobs to our area and breathe life into our high street. So if colleagues in the Treasury would like to see that potential for themselves, I'm very happy to show them round the area. Now, Madam Deputy Speaker, our government was elected with a clear manifesto commitment to ending the need for emergency food parcels. As chair of the All-Party parliamentary Group for ending the need for food Banks, I know that they provide a lifeline whilst people have nowhere else to turn, but emergency food provision should never become a normal part of life in Britain.

A report published last week by the Trussell Trust laid out the scale of the challenge. 9 million people across the UK. That's more than the entire populations of Wales and Scotland combined, and are at severe risk of hardship and needing to turn to a food bank. Hardship does not happen in isolation. It's driven by inadequate incomes, high costs of essentials and a lack of support people need in their communities. We also know that some groups of people are at higher risk of hunger and hardship than others. People who have disabilities are in low paid or insecure work, and children remain disproportionately affected by severe hardship.

So I hope that my hon. Friend the Chancellor will reaffirm this government's commitment to ending the need for emergency food parcels and ensure that the upcoming ten year plan sets out a clear path towards tackling the severe hardship that blights our communities. And now the government is rightly steadfast in our support for Ukraine. This House will be aware that I have campaigned extensively on the issue of the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia. It was a pleasure to work with my honourable with the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth when he was the Minister for that issue, and we worked on establishing a tracing pilot, providing vital intelligence on the whereabouts of thousands of Ukrainian children who have who had been taken by Russia.

When I met with Save Ukraine in September. Save Ukraine are the leading NGO working on the return and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children. They told me that the UK has been a leading partner on the practical support which as of this morning has helped them return. 1887 children. So I therefore warmly welcome the announcement in the Budget that the government has committed an additional £3 million to support the tracing programme until at least 2028, because the defence of Ukraine must also ensure the defence of its future. And by committing to this vital work, we are doing just that.

So I thank the

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Chancellor for those measures. Thank Jayne Kirkham. Thank you.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Madam Deputy Speaker. This Labour Government is helping families in Cornwall with their energy and their fuel bills. Nearly 37,500 households in Truro and Falmouth will get £100 directly Falmouth will get £100 directly into their bank accounts. The drop in VAT and standing charges going will also really help. And in the will also really help. And in the rural and coastal constituency, where car is not a luxury, that extension of the £0.05 fuel duty cut will help, as will the extension of the red diesel cut for our farmers and the rise in those travel rates.

We're also tackling the specific challenges facing
21:25
Jayne Kirkham Portrait Jayne Kirkham MP (Truro and Falmouth, Labour )
-
-
rural, off grid communities. 14% of Cornish households rely on heating Cornish households rely on heating oil, including 5000 families in Truro and Falmouth, which is a lot above the national average. above the national average. Suspending those tariffs alongside over 50 million of support for low income households. Heating with oil income households. Heating with oil will make a real difference to those homes, as will regulating the market, and by paring that short term relief with the Warm Homes Plan, this government is helping rural families move towards cleaner, cheaper heating on their own terms. I've been working with DESNZ on a medium term solution to license HVO for use in heating.

It's been trialled in Kehilan village in Cornwall with great success, and I hope to engage further with DESNZ to get that rolled out further on devolution. Cornwall will be designated a single strategic authority, hopefully bringing growth, funding and further devolution on top of the 30 million Colonel Industrial Growth Fund that was announced last year. A delivery plan will now be worked up, and I look forward to seeing further devolution of powers to unlock housing skills and economic growth. Truro and Falmouth enjoys a vibrant local tourist economy. Independent shops, bakeries, cafes and pubs, raising that small business rate relief to 18,000 means about 56% of retail, hospitality and leisure properties in the South West will pay no business rates at all.

Together

**** Possible New Speaker ****

With that real terms business rates freeze. It will benefit. 6500 hospitality. Retail and.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

6500 hospitality. Retail and. Leisure properties. In Cornwall. Crucially for Truro and Falmouth, the Right to Buy community Assets scheme, support for co-ops and high local.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

People the tools to take back vacant. use. I would like to see those powers

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I would like to see those powers rolled out to our town and city councils. The unitary authority has limited resources and our town councils have grown to fill that gap. They are very capable and they could run those schemes in the absence of appetite from the unitary, and they know their high streets far better. We have about many towns of approximately 20,000 people, each with an expanded town council in Cornwall. Only 11% of our housing is social housing against a national average of 18%, and we have 26,000 houses. Households on the social housing waiting list.

That's why I'm welcoming extending preferential borrowing rates for councils. But Cornwall's housing revenue account is struggling to put more investment into repairs, and rents are low in Cornwall. Rent convergence here will take time. That means the HRA have had to reduce the annual amount of funds available for new homes. One of the barriers is that 90 million debt, as a result of the self-financing arrangements dating back to 2012. If that debt was reduced, Cornwall could do more. And HRA and debt reform would allow council houses to be built once again in Cornwall. There are root causes for our housing crisis in Truro and Falmouth.

We have many holiday lets which are a good thing for Cornwall. But I welcome the government's plans for a registration system. But we need to go further to look at licensing as well, to check that insurance and fire safety documents

**** Possible New Speaker ****

are seen and local authorities can inspect properties. Tom Collins thank you, Madam.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Tom Collins thank you, Madam. Deputy Speaker. I know that. People in Worcester will be

**** Possible New Speaker ****

People in Worcester will be looking for two things. Firstly. Some let up in the endless pressure on bills and the public services on bills and the public services that keep on letting us down, and secondly, a genuine sense that there is a plan for things to there is a plan for things to improve. Hope. I want to start by recognising that these two aims
21:29
Tom Collins Portrait Tom Collins MP (Worcester, Labour)
-
-
have been front and centre, as the Chancellor and the Prime Minister have developed this Budget. I believe in politics that is believe in politics that is focussed on people, and I believe that this Budget aims to do that. But we also know that the But we also know that the challenges we are facing require a deeper shift, not just adjustments to budgets, but something far more fundamental an approach that recognises people's real lived experiences and puts them at the experiences and puts them at the heart of our decisions and systems. Madam Deputy Speaker digital technology is reshaping our world.

We need a fresh approach to digital safety. The Chancellor is right that we should build the data centres and AI models that keep us secure, but we should also be insisting on safety by design for AI and online social platforms and holding providers responsible. And we also need an answer that matches the desperate urgency of the climate crisis. This Budget starts to recognise gaps in our energy policy, but it also risks creating new ones. It is right to recognise the importance of gas, but by casting hydrogen projects into further delay and insecurity, we risk our energy future altogether.

 The government has accepted new gas extraction in the North Sea at jackdaw. It is concerning to see that it is hesitating on support for the most powerful technology in decarbonising gas. At the same time, I was watching David Attenborough before. It was cool. My career has been spent developing green technology systems, so thank you. I urge the Secretary of State to work rapidly to resource, accelerate and provide certainty to the core hydrogen projects that the UK needs to re-industrialisation and reliable energy future. We are competing with other countries for investment, and we are at risk of losing.

If we get it right. Though the UK can not only be more energy resilient, we can even become energy rich. True renewal that would see the UK selling to Europe in the world. There are other challenges across our system. Worcester Worcester crisis in A&E is stark evidence of that. I recently hosted Worcester's Rough Sleeping Summit, bringing 30 organisations together to end rough sleeping in Worcester, and it will create new forms of joint working. But we need that kind of approach across the board in health, social care, education, skills and justice. Alongside the ambitious funding and goal setting announced by the Chancellor.

So I welcome the government providing £163 million in this Budget to write off 90% of Worcestershire County Council's accumulated debt to tackle provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities. This creates the breathing room that we need to recover delivery in Worcester. But I am determined to work to see the system deeply reformed in our county, to put families at the centre. I would urge the Chancellor to work with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, and members of industry to urgently address the shortfall in funding. Funding for hydrogen projects. But, Madam Deputy Speaker, with these corrections secured and with ambitious action, I believe we have the opportunity not only to create room to breathe, but to begin a journey that will give every single

**** Possible New Speaker ****

person real cause to hope again. Simon Opher.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. And at the close of the third day of debate on this Budget, I won't go into all the detail that I might go into all the detail that I might perhaps have done. I'll just concentrate on support for our high streets and about the transfer of streets and about the transfer of power away from Westminster and Whitehall. So over the weekend I had the opportunity to go into our had the opportunity to go into our high street and talk to some business owners. I talked to Tom Berry, who owns probably the coolest record shop in Stroud Sound Records.

His business rates have reduced from £400 a month to nothing. And so, so many businesses actually have lost all their
21:33
Simon Opher Portrait Dr Simon Opher MP (Stroud, Labour)
-
-
business rates because of the small business rate relief threshold. And this means quite a number of pubs this means quite a number of pubs also now pay no business rates for other properties over 18,000. There'll be a two year real term There'll be a two year real term rates freeze for providing much needed stability during a time of great global economic uncertainty. great global economic uncertainty. And I was also absolutely delighted because the small producers relief because the small producers relief and alcohol duty systems became more generous so that Stroud Brewer, and particularly my village brewery, Uly Brewery, have benefited.

And in fact, their famous pint of old ale will soon be available in the stranger's bar. So I, I, I'd like you to to do that. I'd also like to say a little bit of something around pubs and about VAT. So this wasn't in the Budget, but they are, we are looking at perhaps trying to reduce VAT on hospitality and rather a blanket cut to 10% would cost about £12 billion. And, and benefit organisations like McDonald's. But in fact, if we can have a targeted approach, it will really help pubs. So on devolution, I strongly welcome this government's intention to shift power out of Westminster Whitehall.

In fact, we've got the most one of the most centralised countries in the world, with over 95% of tax revenues going to central government. However, in Gloucestershire we haven't got a devolution deal at the moment and I would ask all parties involved to to form a consensus so we can benefit from devolution. That's one of the best things this Budget delivered so very briefly, 98 measures to help with the cost of living. There's also £65 million in there for a community asset programme which will which will help community buyouts and a little hidden thing in there.

It's probably the most important thing in this Budget. This is prevention is ring fenced and that will be transformative for preventative therapies, particularly in health and in other measures. So I really welcome this Budget. And I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for

**** Possible New Speaker ****

including me. Which brings us to the front bench contribution, shadow Minister Gareth Davies.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Gareth Davies. Yeah. It's a great pleasure. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I'd like to Madam Deputy Speaker. I'd like to thank all members from across the House for their contributions tonight, but in particular, my Right Honourable and hon. Friends for Bromsgrove Bridgwater, Keighley
21:36
Gareth Davies Portrait Gareth Davies MP (Grantham and Bourne, Conservative)
-
-
for Bromsgrove Bridgwater, Keighley and Ilkley, Mid Bedfordshire, South West Hertfordshire and their very thoughtful contributions, particularly on welfare spending from my right hon. Friend for Chingford and Wood Green and my very good friend and constituency neighbour, the Father of the House. I particularly enjoyed his contribution, but most of all let me congratulate the hon. Lady for Holborn and St Pancras on delivering her maiden speech. I gave my maiden speech in a Budget debate. It is a hard thing to do. I was. I still remember how nervous I was and I can tell her it doesn't quite go away, I'm afraid.

But I enjoyed her speech. It was an excellent one, and I know that her constituents and her family will be very proud to see her sat where she is. I wish her the very best for the future. It is a genuine pleasure to be stood here, closing this Budget debate on behalf of the official opposition, a Budget that has been billed as the breathing space Budget, ironically, by the same people who have taken all the air out of the economy. The British people don't just want a breather, they want to get on. And there is little in this Budget for them.

Now, the subject of today's debate is growth, a subject apparently voluntarily chosen by the government, which is interesting because if you actually read the OBR's assessment of this Budget, it clearly says on paragraph 2.48 that the next year's growth is downgraded to 1%, cut by a third. The Chancellor said this Budget would deliver growth in every postcode, but the OBR has read it and found that low growth is going to be across the country. I've got to know the hon. Gentleman who is chuntering slightly here, and I know that he's about to stand up and he's going to try and say that the OBR has upgraded growth for this year by 0.1%.

And don't get me wrong, that is great. I'm delighted for him. But in March 2024, the OBR expected growth under a conservative government not to be 1.2% this year. They expected the Conservatives to deliver 2% in 2026. So actually, I'm afraid to say the OBR have downgraded their growth expectations and projections for this year to now. The right hon. Lady who's very energised is saying that the government has cut business rates. But these are the guys who inherited high street relief at 75%, cut it to 40%, then abolished it altogether. Now under pressure from high street businesses across the country, they're handing a little bit back and think it's all fine.

It's like a burglar returning your TV and asking for a thank you, my hon. Friend, for Keighley and Ilkley was absolutely right to highlight this point. Then there's the High street bank tax. This is a tax on lending, on mortgages, on the high street branches that people rely on in constituencies across the country. I thought this government wanted to see more bank branches, not fewer. But that's exactly what is going to happen. The hon. Gentleman is also probably going to stand up and try and claim that this Budget is delivering for working families on the cost of living, but that is not the whole picture, is it?

Living standards this year across every postcode, are set to fall under a Labour government, but it's OK. They can all live off cheaper gherkins. They don't like to hear this, Madam Deputy Speaker and no doubt I'll be accused of talking down the economy. So let me be very clear. I talk up my country, but I talk down this Labour government, and I'm not the only one. Madam Deputy Speaker, there's plenty of us. The IFS said the Budget has very little that will move the dial on growth. The CBI said the Budget lacked the bold moves that would have made it easier for firms to invest, hire and grow.

The British Retail Consortium said costs will keep climbing as the Chancellor failed to provide the breathing space he promised and even their friends. The Resolution Foundation said the Budget did not live up to the scale of the challenges. Madam Deputy Speaker, don't get me wrong, I don't believe they are bad people. I just don't think they have any grasp of basic economics and reality. Just this weekend, we heard that they don't even think that employers are working people, as rightly pointed out by my hon. Friend for Bromsgrove and in all of this, let's spare a thought for poor old Keir Starmer, who must have been sat watching the TV on Lord Ali's sofa, wondering what was it all for?

The new Prime Minister booted him out with a story of transformation, almost revolution. After years and years of trying, he finally becomes the first Lord of the Treasury, and we all eagerly await his first Budget, his first chance to mould the country. According to his Mancunian grand vision. But what we got was same old Labour, higher taxes, no action on welfare and no real answers to the challenges facing our country today. This is continuity, Keir. Without the mandate for tinkering, little policies like a £2 bus cap is not going to keep us safe from Putin.

It's going to take a family. It's not going to take a family out of poverty. It'll only get them to the bank branch that's closing near the house. They can't afford with a mortgage that they won't be lent. When will they learn? Madam Deputy Speaker, it doesn't have to be this way. Instead of fuelling a rise in unemployment and overseeing a spiralling benefits bill, the government could reduce costs to businesses and cut the regulatory burden. We could get people off welfare and into work. We will happily work with the Chancellor in the national interest. If only he could be brave enough to stand up to the people chuntering behind him.

 Madam Deputy Speaker, nothing has changed. Not the tax hikes, not the welfare bill, not the excuses. All that's changed is the person holding the microphone. Now, I accept the Prime Minister has been busy. We've watched him bounce from the Downing Street desk to the Gogglebox sofa and back home to Manchester. We know his favourite crisps, but we don't know his plan for the economy. He's a tick tock Prime Minister who chose a Chancellor on a tuk tuk. He's had a ride and now he's taken the British people for one two, a Chancellor who for some reason carried a miner's lantern to the Labour Party conference.

Now he's leading the economy down a dark tunnel with no plan to get out. Back during the days of the coup, the Prime Minister told us, with a nauseating dose of cheddar cheese, he wanted hope in every heart. But what we got was a hand in every pocket. Tax at record levels get higher debt interest, higher youth unemployment spiralling. This is not just a

**** Possible New Speaker ****

missed opportunity, it is a dereliction of duty. Yes.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Minister Dan Tomlinson here. Madam Deputy Speaker, it is a

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Madam Deputy Speaker, it is a pleasure to close this Budget debate on good growth in every postcode, and I thank members from across the House for their contributions in today's debate. In particular, I want to thank the Member for Holborn and St Pancras for her fantastic maiden speech today. My hon. Friend spoke powerfully, powerfully of the everyday way in her words, that
21:44
Dan Tomlinson Portrait Dan Tomlinson MP, Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury) (Chipping Barnet, Labour)
-
-
people in her part of London look out for each other, and I know that she will look out for her she will look out for her constituents every single day. And I am sure, along with members from across the House, warmly welcome across the House, warmly welcome her to these benches today. Madam Deputy Speaker, the Budget last week was a Budget to provide breathing space now and fresh hope for the future. It backed British for the future. It backed British business to unleash growth in every postcode, and it kickstarted the changes needed to put our country on a better course.

It was also a Budget, Madam Deputy Speaker, Set against the backdrop of global economic storms, with trade tensions acting as a drag on global growth and Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine approaching the end of its fifth year. These shocks may be global, but the effects are being felt here at home. According to the OBR. We will spend £14 billion more each year on debt interest compared to the last forecast, and the government's responsibility is, of course, to determine how to respond to this. We have chosen to respond by using some of the headroom that was built up last year to absorb the impact of the war and and also to protect the economy and family budgets as much as possible.

We've also chosen, crucially, to meet the fiscal rules in full, with borrowing falling in every year of the forecast. Madam Deputy Speaker, Britain's economic reputation was badly damaged under the party opposite, so badly damaged, in fact, that the IMF publicly warned them to change course and the contrast now could not be clearer. The IMF, the IMF have said recently that the UK stands out as a country where, and I quote, we are taking action to reduce the debt and deficit, and that action has been taken decisively. And despite the warnings from forecasters and the gloomsters opposite that our economy would slow down, Britain has defied expectations.

This year, the OBR have upgraded the UK's growth forecast and in the first half of this year we had the joint fastest growth in the G7 productivity. Madam Deputy Speaker is up at 2.2% a year, compared to an average growth rate of just half

**** Possible New Speaker ****

a percent a year between 2015 and 2024. We did one. Grateful to the Minister for giving way. If everything is going giving way. If everything is going so well, why is Britain paying more to borrow money than any other country in Europe?

**** Possible New Speaker ****

You. Yeah. Well, the the the hon. Member is

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Well, the the the hon. Member is right to raise that. We are spending a large share of our budgets on debt. Interest costs £1 budgets on debt. Interest costs £1 in every ten Madam Deputy Speaker is spent paying the interest on our debt. That was an increase that took place under the Conservatives after the spike in interest rates in 2022 under Liz Truss's mini

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Budget and The apprentice to Liz Truss is now the shadow Chancellor. Yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Madam Deputy Speaker, real, real wages have risen more since the election than in the first ten election than in the first ten years of the conservative government, and members opposite government, and members opposite have talked about the the private sector in in the economy. And I would point out to them that whole economy, investment and business investment have all grown by more in this Parliament so far than they did in the entirety of the last Parliament. We are turning our economy around from the from the from the hellscape that it was under the previous government.

Madam Deputy Speaker, we are building on our recent economic resilience. Through this Budget. We are delivering immediate measures to help with rising energy bills. A £100 household energy payment paid directly to those living in bands A to D in England, alongside a 0% VAT cut on electricity, alongside a reduction to 0% VAT on electricity until July. We're also abolishing gas standing charges on household energy bills, while extending the £0.05 fuel duty cut and the cut to red diesel. We're reducing bills by up to 25% for for more than 10,000 eligible businesses from next April through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, and I will give way.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Minister, for giving way. If the picture is so rosy, can he explain to me why? A couple of weeks ago, I to me why? A couple of weeks ago, I visited six businesses in my constituency, all in the hospitality sector. Every single one of them said that they are not one of them said that they are not recruiting, nor have they recruited. Since the government increased national Insurance contributions. national Insurance contributions. Why? Why is he painting a picture that's different to reality? Why does he think they're not recruiting? Yeah.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

recruiting? Yeah. Madam Deputy Speaker, I can't speak to the individual businesses in his constituency, but I can. But I can point the hon. Member to the forecast from the office for Budget Responsibility that revise up employment by 200,000 and show employment forecast to increase in every year of the forecast. Madam Deputy Speaker, we are also making changes to support workers, increasing the national minimum wage and the National Living Wage. We're increasing the higher mileage rate and making the increase to the standard mileage rate announced earlier in the year permanent, and we're backing our high street businesses with retail, hospitality and leisure properties seeing their business rates frozen in real terms, reduced or cut to zero next year.

Madam Deputy Speaker, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Housing Communities spoke very powerfully and convincingly earlier of the changes that this government is making on devolution to drive good growth in every postcode, and so I won't run through the points that were made in opening, but I was glad to hear from my hon. Friends in constituencies where we will be extending devolution in England, particularly in those towns and communities that missed out on the first wave of devolution under the previous government about their welcome for that continued rollout. And it will mean that over 90% of England's population is now on track to be covered by a strategic authority.

In the next couple of years. I would like to turn to focus on energy, if I may. The opposition spokesperson raised this in opening, and I think it's worth covering for a few minutes before we wrap up. At the Budget last week, the Chancellor set out a new pathway for energy, which the ten year plan will build on setting out. Madam Deputy Speaker, that our priority is to bring energy costs down, to help business compete and to help families cope. Cheaper electricity will also boost electrification, increase our energy security and help to decarbonise the whole economy.

 First, we are addressing levies and policy costs on bills. The party opposite, Madam Deputy Speaker, loaded £100 onto bills via levies, and this Labour Government has already taken £150 off energy bills at the last Budget, and the Chancellor went further this week by drawing a line in the sand on levies. He's confirmed that there'll be no new costs added to energy bills, with a comprehensive cost control framework to follow at the spending review. He's also abolishing plans first set out by the party opposite to add a further £10 a year to bills to pay for hydrogen projects.

Second, we are backing network investment only adding new generation if is affordable and the grid can keep up. Between 2016 and 2020, network investment declined in real terms under the previous government, just when it was clear that more intermittent power would need that. We need more capacity now. They are in opposition. Madam Deputy Speaker, the party opposite have no serious energy policy left. Their only real answer now is to retreat in full from net zero, banning people from being parliamentary candidates for the Conservative Party if they support net zero by 2050. That's a big mistake, Madam Deputy Speaker, and it's one that I'm confident the British people will reject at the next election.

In the Budget, we also committed to only procure clean power through the next auction round. If we're confident it will lower bills and we will reform contract for difference by AR nine to support building the lowest cost system, fixing market distortions and siting assets in the right place. Two members in this House who are committed to net zero on this side and in the Liberal Democrats. Let me be clear, it is only by getting electricity prices down and ensuring new clean power does not run ahead of the grid, that we can credibly achieve our net zero goals.

I just want to turn to a couple of points made by members in the debate, and then I will conclude. Madam Deputy Speaker, my right hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk asked the number of questions about the Acorn project, and I want to reassure him and members on both sides of the House that the government remains committed to Acorn and wants to see it succeed. The change announced last week, which has funding from grants to loans or equity stakes which could, we hope, provide a better value for money for the taxpayer, the existing partners confirmed last week.

Madam Deputy Speaker, this approach, setting out that the Budget announcement does not change Acorn's current development programme, and I know that the relevant Minister in the Energy Department will be meeting with the developers later this week. The scheme is not the only one to be affected by recent prioritisation decisions and in fact, Madam Deputy Speaker, some schemes in England have been stopped entirely. A number of members on this side of the House also raised the Mineworkers Pension Scheme. They and others on these benches have been relentless in their advocacy for the mining communities. I particularly note the speech this evening from my hon.

Friend the Member for Amber Valley. It was a really powerful contribution, and it was heard loud and clear on the Treasury bench as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor said last week, he knows that the job is not done and that he. He will go on to ensure the full transfer of the Guarantor's fund. I know he is working at pace to agree a way forward. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is a Budget to deliver good growth in every postcode. It is underpinned by fiscal discipline, with borrowing falling in every year. It is the most decentralising Budget in modern British history, pushing power and resources out across the country.

It marks an important moment in the history of UK energy policy, with a firm commitment to putting cheap electricity first. They added £100 to bills. We've taken 150 off and we're now drawing a line in the sand when it comes to new build costs. This Budget supports businesses on the high street, removing 70,000 smaller high street properties from business rates altogether and in industry by implementing a 25% discount to electricity bills for heavy users. And of course, we prioritise helping families. Now with £100 off energy bills this winter for 20 million homes, funding this through higher bank taxes, which the party opposite oppose.

This is a big Labour Budget built on strong labour choices, breathing space for today and fresh hope for the future.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Here I. Beg to move that the debate be now adjourned.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

now adjourned. The question is that the debate

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The question is that the debate be now adjourned, as many as are of that opinion, say I of the contrary. No, I think the ayes have it. The

**** Possible New Speaker ****

No, I think the ayes have it. The ayes have it. Date to be resumed. What day? Tomorrow.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. I will allow the front benches to swap over if they so wish.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Right. Come to motion number three.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Come to motion number three. Relating to the Environmental Audit Committee. Gen Kitchen to move. Move!

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Move! The question is, as on the Order Paper, As many as of that opinion Paper, As many as of that opinion say aye. I Of the contrary, no. I think the ayes have it. The ayes have it. Motion number four

**** Possible New Speaker ****

have it. Motion number four relating to the Transport Committee. Gen Kitchen to move. I beg to move.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The question is, as on the Order

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The question is, as on the Order Paper, as many as are of that opinion say aye. Of the contrary, no. I think the ayes have it. The ayes have it.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

ayes have it. I beg to move that this house do now adjourn. The question is that this House do now adjourn.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

do now adjourn. Vikki Slade thank. You. Madam Deputy Speaker. I beg to move that this House is considered the registration of hairdressers the registration of hairdressers and barbers. More than 60 years ago, this House passed legislation establishing a register for hairdressers. The purpose was clear to encourage professional standards, support, qualifications and training, provide consumers with confidence and recognise hairdressing as a skilled profession. The principle was right then and it remains right today. What has changed is the world around it. The high street has changed, the labour market has changed and increasingly the sector itself is.
21:57
None Portrait Adjournment: Regulation of the hair and beauty sector
-

Warning us. That voluntary system, put in place in 1964, is no longer enough to ensure a sustainable future for hairdressing and barbering. Tonight I want to make the case that moving from a voluntary register to a mandatory one is not a radical step. It's a natural next step. And, crucially, it is not a proposal to create a new register. Parliament has already established that principle. The register already exists. I am simply seeking, through mandatory registration, to strengthen a framework that Parliament itself put in place. When Harold Wilson was first Prime Minister, it would help tackle the collapse in apprenticeships, it would strengthen public safety, and it would support the legitimate businesses that form the backbone of our local high streets.

Indeed, what is perhaps most striking is that the sector itself has now reached this conclusion. The British Hair Consortium, the National Hair and Beauty Federation, the Hair and Barber Council, employers, educators, educators and industry leaders are all increasingly united in calling for a mandatory registration scheme. This is not government regulation being imposed on an unwilling industry. It is a solution designed by them for an increasingly urgent problem. Madam Deputy Speaker, as I'm sure you are aware, hairdressers and barbers are far more important than many people appreciate. We all know the feeling of walking out of a salon or barber shop feeling better than when we walked in.

Many people value the relationship they have with their hairdresser, like my cousin Jane and her daughter Lucy, who travel several hours every couple of months from Kent to see their stylist. After we moved to Dorset, or Nick, who supported my mum Lynn as she lost her hair through chemotherapy and still managed to make her feel $1 million. These professionals improve confidence, wellbeing and self-esteem. These businesses provide social connection in an increasingly isolated society. They often offer something technology never can. Genuine human interaction. One survey found that 42% of young men had experienced weeks where visiting a barber or personal care professional was the only in-person interaction that they'd had.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Order, order. I beg to move that this House do now adjourn.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

now adjourn. The question is that this House do now adjourn. Vikki Slade. Thank you, Madam Speaker. In my

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In my constituency, one such barber is Mike Taylor of Bonds in Broadstone. He recently created a retro style, He recently created a retro style, 1 to 1 barbering space, specifically recognising the role that barbers play in supporting that barbers play in supporting men's wellbeing and mental health. But barbering and hairdressing are not just socially valuable, they are economically vital. The wider beauty and personal care sector contributes more than £28 billion to the UK economy and supports almost 600,000 jobs. These are jobs that cannot be offshored. They cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence and they drive footfall to our town centres.

When people visit a barber or salon, they often spend money elsewhere on the high street to their anchors of our local economies in villages, market towns and city centres. And for generations, hair and beauty has acted as a ladder of opportunity. It has provided first jobs for young people. It has offered flexible careers for parents and carers, and it has enabled thousands of people to build businesses of their own. Following the introduction of my bill in September, I was contacted by Nova, who owned Nova Luxe Salon in Poole. She reminded me that when we first met 25 years ago, she was an apprentice at Karen's Hair Design in Broadstone, where I was a customer and where I ran a business on the same high street.

She trained, qualified, gained experience and ultimately has built a successful business of her own. Hers is exactly the sort of journey that this sector has made possible for generations. The story is the story of hair and beauty. But she shared with me that professional, qualified business owners who follow the rules increasingly feel they are competing against businesses that do not. People like Nova increasingly tell me that the profession they love is becoming harder to sustain. The concern I hear repeatedly is not about competition. It is about unfair

**** Possible New Speaker ****

competition. I actually. Think that's great service. My

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Think that's great service. My late sister Joan, was a hairdresser. She did an apprenticeship of exactly the kind the hon. Lady exactly the kind the hon. Lady describes the London School of Hairdressing before I was born, Hairdressing before I was born, actually, and she was proud of the skills she acquired and then later used for many years. But there has used for many years. But there has been in recent years the emergence of some extremely strange, I would argue, dodgy, largely foreign barber shops who I suspect have much less to do with hairdressing than many other nefarious purposes.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. Indeed, the number of intervention. Indeed, the number of barber shops on our high streets have doubled in the last decade or so, and I'm fairly sure that the so, and I'm fairly sure that the number of us requiring a weekly haircut has not. And the point isn't about competition. It's about unfair competition alongside what our. It has to be said, quite

**** Possible New Speaker ****

our. It has to be said, quite impossible. Trading conditions. I'm about to give. Way, of course,

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I'm one of those fortunate ones, perhaps, who never has to go to a barber because I don't use a comb. barber because I don't use a comb. I just use a sham. It keeps me, keeps me. OK. You know, and and in recent years, there have been recent years, there have been increasing reports across the UK of so-called beauticians carrying out invasive procedures without the invasive procedures without the necessary medical qualifications. Doctors across the country have warned of serious, potentially life threatening consequences of botched treatments. So does all agree that stronger regulation of the cosmetic industry is urgently needed, particularly given that some are carrying out invasive, in some cases, surgical procedures without the appropriate qualifications or training, and we must hold in government must hold these individuals criminally responsible for the damage they are causing to public health.

Thank you Vikki

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Slade. I thank my. Hon. Friend for his intervention. And it's interesting, although this And it's interesting, although this is specifically around hair and barbering, there, there have been some moves for a similar some moves for a similar registration system for those sort of industries that do piercing and tattoos and things, but the tattoos and things, but the industry themselves are struggling to work out exactly what it should look like. But there is a big, big look like. But there is a big, big issue here around insurance, which I'll come on to. According to analysis commissioned by the British Hair Consortium, employee numbers in this sector has fallen around 23% in 2025, equivalent to the loss of 20,000 jobs.

Or, put another way, the equivalent of 20 employing salons, making all of their staff redundant every working day for a year, industry estimates and estimates suggest that more than 70% of those working in the sector are now classified as self-employed. Of course, genuine self-employment is not a problem. Many talented stylists and barbers have always chosen to rent a chair. They've always used it as a stepping stone towards their own business. But the concern is where self-employment exists entirely on paper. When I met representatives of the National Hair and Beauty Federation a couple of weeks ago, they described workers who were, in their own words, employees on Friday and self-employed on Monday.

Nothing about their work had changed. Nothing about the business had changed, only their employment status. They continued to work in the same chair in the salon. No control over their prices, no determining their working practices. But now they no longer have sickness, cover pensions or any rights involved, reduced tax receipts for the government and, crucially, fewer apprenticeships. As without workers, you can't hire apprentices. And it's apprenticeships where the consequences are most serious. The hairdressing apprenticeship starts in England have fallen from more than 13,000 in 2015 to just 4000 in 2023. A forecast suggests that recruitment could completely collapse within a couple of years if current trends continue.

And this should concern every member of this House, because these are not just statistics, these are lost opportunities for young people, lost opportunities for social mobility and for skills development. And the sector reports that around a quarter of these apprentices have special educational needs, significantly higher than the send rates across the wider apprenticeship sector. Many of them have also been neat. So for thousands of young people who struggle to access traditional academic pathways, this sector has provided a route to qualifications, employment and independence. Of course.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I absolutely thank the hon. Member for this really, really important debate. I recently important debate. I recently visited Body Lines, a salon and spa in the middle of Sittingbourne, which is run by Liza with a Z, not which is run by Liza with a Z, not Liza with a S, just to confuse everyone. But she was making this everyone. But she was making this point very, very strongly. This is a great salon that's been there for about 40 years. Very, very well about 40 years. Very, very well embedded business in the town. She used to offer lots of training places.

Now she simply can't because she's been out competed by venues that rent chairs by the hour to the sort of pseudo self-employed. And I think the biggest thing that she was telling me was, this is a real threat to the future of the industry. I mean, my mother trained as a hairdresser in the 60s before becoming a social worker. Those roles are vital for getting people, as the hon. Member said, into a whole range of different employment. But without businesses that can actually support this, they will just go forever. And this selfish pseudo self-employed won't persist either.

But the biggest thing is she raised for me is just how much money the government is losing through VAT, because these other venues are not offering VAT, the responsible self-employed are not

**** Possible New Speaker ****

paying and we're losing money that way as well. So on every front, this is something we have to confront, have to change. You say.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

You say. I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. It is about tax intervention. It is about tax receipts. It is about, you know, genuine self-employed people that people this is not about stopping people this is not about stopping people from, you know, cutting their family members hair. This is not about people who are, you know, not about people who are, you know, running a start up from home. This isn't about where you trade. It's about whether you trade legitimately and how you sustain the next generation of this, of the industry. And I'm really glad that the hon.

Member mentioned that, because I want to tell a story that Mike shared with me, Mike Taylor shared about an apprentice that has taken up his programme. He's got an incredible academy that takes on about a dozen young people, mostly NEETs, aged 16 to 18 in Broadstone, where I live, and he has an apprentice who is travelling from Kent. It's a long way from Kent to Dorset and he couldn't find a local training placement and so every week he travels to stay with his auntie in Dorchester for his training so that he can develop his skills.

And the reason is he couldn't get an apprenticeship close to home and the only opportunity available to him was working for an unscrupulous barber who paid him just £1 an hour, £1 an hour. Despite the employer charging customers for his services. That is not entrepreneurship, that is not business, that is exploitation. That young man wants to learn a trade, he wants to build a career, and he should not have to choose between exploitation and abandoning his ambitions. And legitimate businesses like those mentioned by my hon. Friend from Sittingbourne should not have to compete against them.

Which brings me to the issue of public safety. The House of Commons Library notes that anyone can practice as a hairdresser or barber without holding any recognised qualifications. In a profession involving chemicals, blades and close physical contact with the public that is increasingly difficult to justify now. Madam Deputy Speaker, most practitioners are highly skilled professionals who take enormous pride in their work. But consumers deserve confidence that those offering professional services have met the appropriate standards and that they wield their scissors safely. Most members of the public would reasonably assume that someone advertising themselves as a professional hairdresser or barber has demonstrated some level of competence, but that assumption cannot always be made poorly.

 Applied chemicals can cause burns. Overuse of bleach can lead to hair loss and poor hygiene standards, as we, as we've heard, can contribute to skin conditions like ringworm. A mandatory register would help provide the public with confidence that practitioners have achieved recognised qualifications, and just as importantly, it would enhance the reputation of those who have already meet those standards every day. This proposal is practical, it's proportionate and it's achievable. We are not trying to create a system from scratch. The register already exists. The Hair and Barber Council already administer it. The infrastructure is in place.

We want to build on the infrastructure that's already there. Mandatory registration would simply strengthen and modernise an existing statutory framework for the realities of today. The sector estimates that costs would likely fall to hairdressers if registration was universal, and they believed that registration could become a recognised prerequisite for securing insurance and demonstrating professional competence. It would improve standards for consumers and it would support legitimate businesses. It could help enforce it, help enforcement agencies tackle tax evasion, illegal working employment status, abuse and criminal activity associated with some rogue businesses. Indeed, support for the proposal now extends beyond the industry itself.

The APPG for Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax, chaired by the hon. Member for Bolton West, has highlighted concerns around the extraordinary growth in barbering alongside

**** Possible New Speaker ****

declining tax enforcement activity. Of course. I thank the hon. Lady for giving

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank the hon. Lady for giving way and mentioning the APPG, which I chair and the work that we are I chair and the work that we are doing. Does she agree with me that government can't simply enforce its way out of this problem around illicit activity on the high street and in the sector, given the NCAA when it conducted its November 2025 operation, McKinsey visited 2734 premises up and down the length of the country, but only actually closed ten of those down. Of course, not all of those were hairdressers or barbering salons, and that therefore a proportionate licensing regime is the right step to move forward, akin to what the Dutch have done with their act.

And that is the way of seizing control around who operates in these sectors, but also giving confidence to the public about who is cutting hair and who is operating on the high street.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank my friend for his intervention. I mean, the vast majority of people in the sector are doing the right thing. The problem is that they're watching other people also in the sector other people also in the sector with empty chairs all day, and then wondering how on earth they're there supporting four or 5 or 6 there supporting four or 5 or 6 employees or people working in the space. And the sector itself has said that they are very happy to said that they are very happy to share the information so that we know the scale of the industry, that they know how many hairdressers are working, they know, you know, where, where we need the more training places.

So this is actually a means of using a register that already exists to, to professionalise the system and actually help the government to, to move it forward for the future, rather than relying solely on expensive raids and investigation after problems have emerged. The register could allow standards to be established from the outset, and for the scale and shape of the sector to be mapped, with sufficient training providers in place in the right place, such as my young man who needs to have training in Kent. A survey by the National Hair and Beauty Federation found that support for mandatory register within the sector is at around 80%.

That figure should give Ministers pause. Industries do not often ask Parliament for registration, and yet this regulation. This one is not because it wants bureaucracy, but because it wants a sustainable future. Madam Deputy Speaker, I understand that some critics suggest registration could increase costs or unnecessary burdens. I disagree. The greatest threat to consumers and the industry is not professionalising. It is the continued erosion of standards. It's legitimate businesses being forced from our high street by those willing to ignore the rules. It's the loss of apprenticeships, loss of public confidence and the gradual devaluation of a skilled professional.

When this 1964 act was debated, it sponsored described hairdressing as both an art and a science. The government of the day recognised the need for standards, qualifications and public confidence. They were right then and those principles remain just as relevant today. Making the register mandatory does not create a new principle. It just brings what was considered a pioneering proposal in 1964 into the 21st century. It has the potential to increase revenues and make it harder for illegal businesses to operate in our town centres, and ultimately, it supports the next generation of hairdressers and barbers. If it succeeds, perhaps it will mean fewer bad hair days for all of us.

 When a profession, its employers, its training providers and its representative bodies are all asking Parliament to act. Parliament should listen. Parliament recognised the importance of standards in hairdressing in 1964. Time has come to finish the job that Parliament started more than 60 years ago. I commend these proposals to the House, and I look forward to working with the Minister to

**** Possible New Speaker ****

deliver them. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I want to congratulate the hon. Member for securing this debate Member for securing this debate this evening, and would like to thank her for the constructive and determined way in which she used to determined way in which she used to champion this issue, both in this House and through her presentation Bill. I also want to recognise her Bill. I also want to recognise her close work with her constituent, Mike Taylor, who she referenced this evening, whose business is an
22:16
Kate Dearden Portrait Kate Dearden MP, Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Halifax, Labour )
-
-
this evening, whose business is an accredited outstanding provider of barbering apprenticeships. And I want to pay tribute to him and to the hairdressers and barbers whose experiences she has shared with the house this evening. I was brought up around this industry, Madam Deputy Speaker. My mum was a hairdresser and I'm very lucky that I can still persuade her to do my hair today. So I recognise how important it is to be a voice in Parliament for hair and beauty, and for this absolute powerhouse of an industry, and I'm proud to be the Minister responsible for personal care.

Hair and beauty isn't just a £28 billion significant contribution to the economy and almost 600,000 jobs. It's also the salon on the high street that brings people into town. As she referenced, it supports our local communities, helping them thrive. And for many women, often it's what starts as a passion, a set of professional skills and the ambition to build something of their own, and that can grow into a successful business, creating employment and opportunities for others. And with over 85% of businesses in our sector owned by women, Hair and Beauty is a powerful example of female entrepreneurship, independence and resilience.

And behind every salon is that story of hard work and skill, creativity and determination. So I want to start with recognising the significance of our industry and mainly women across the sector, and to thank them for all the support that they give to women across the country. She referenced that often our therapists, when we get our hair done and we walk out feeling amazing. So I wanted to start with that contribution. And I also want to start with where we agree the harms the hon. Member has described are real. Customers should feel safe and protected in a salon chair, and good employers shouldn't be undercut by those who cheat and don't play by the same rules.

Young people need a route into this profession, and criminals should not be hiding behind barber shop fronts on our high streets. The question before the house is not whether these problems matter. Of course they do. The question is whether a mandatory register is the right way to fix them. And I want to take a number of the hon. Member's arguments in turn, and explain where I would like to hear more evidence and what will work instead, and what we're prioritising. And first, it's worth being clear of what a register is. As an old member mentioned, the Hairdressers Registration Act of 1964 already provides for a register of qualified hairdressers and barbers.

Making it mandatory would record that an individual holds a qualification. And while it would improve visibility, it wouldn't inspect a salon, check who owns a business or where its money comes from, or decide whether somebody is genuinely self-employed. And it wouldn't create a single new apprenticeship place, because that matters. Because each of the harms that the hon. Member has discussed in many, many members tonight comes from something other than perhaps a missing qualification. And on consumer safety, I want to highlight two examples. The cases of ringworm and chemical burns, because these are distressing and I don't dismiss them for a moment.

Madam Deputy Speaker ringworm comes from poor hygiene and infection control. A qualified stylist working with unclean equipment poses the same risk as an unqualified one. Chemical burns come from the unsafe use of hazardous products in every salon. Whoever works in it is already legally required to control these risks. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the associated regulations such as the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the control of Substance Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Local authorities already have the powers to enforce health and safety legislation, and are responsible for managing hygiene standards in businesses, where there is evidence that risks are not being properly managed.

Local authorities are able to intervene and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure that employers and customers are protected. A register wouldn't send anyone through the door to check, but enforcement does. And where the evidence has shown serious risks of harm, the government has acted. Last month, we launched a consultation proposing that high risk cosmetic procedures should only be carried out by qualified, regulated healthcare professionals, with providers registered with the Quality Care Commission and criminal criminal penalties for breaches. We've also committed to a licensing scheme for lower risk cosmetic procedures, and we acted because there was a strong evidence showing a scale of harm.

So far, we've not seen comparable evidence for hairdressing. But if the hon. Member has cases and she's raised them tonight, I want my officials to see them. The hon. Member is right that Bogoslof employment too is unacceptable. Self-Employment, as she mentioned, is a legitimate and long standing, long standing part of this sector, and many workers value that flexibility in that way of working. But no employer should deny the basic rights of people by calling them self-employed when they're not here to. It's not clear how a register might help. A fully qualified, registered barber could still be falsely self-employed.

What will make a difference, Madam Speaker, is fixing the Employment Status framework itself. We've published a consultation on targeted reforms, including a proposal of worker status and stronger enforcement. These proposals are designed with workers like those in hairdressing in mind. Alongside this, the really important work of the Fair Work Agency now brings together employment rights enforcement into one place with a dedicated hidden economy team. And I know that Fair Work Agency officials have met with the sector. HMRC will investigate where people have been misclassified for tax purposes and take action to recover the tax and National Insurance owed.

And I'm of course happy to keep updated on the employment status consultation and discuss further with her. The hon. Member, who spoke powerfully about apprenticeships, and I won't pretend that the recent figures that she alluded to in that that decline that we've seen in apprenticeship starts is comforting. It's not hairdressing. Businesses play such an important role, as she mentioned, in employment and training opportunities, particularly for young people. And that's why it's really important to strengthen the sector's skills pipeline for those opportunities for social mobility and career progression. The challenge employers describe is the cost and capacity to take on and train a young person.

It's not clear how a register that requires qualifications may help, and we are mindful of the costs that she referenced, that small businesses that do the training. So that's why,

**** Possible New Speaker ****

of course. In my discussions with the various agencies, they say the current cost of being in the current cost of being in the voluntary register is about £75. They've suggested that if this They've suggested that if this actually was extended to all people working in the, it would actually working in the, it would actually reduce it to £25. So actually, probably less than the cost of a haircut to actually be able to be haircut to actually be able to be on a register with an organisation which would then itself be involved in some of those enforcement

**** Possible New Speaker ****

activities that would benefit the government. I thank her for her intervention

**** Possible New Speaker ****

I thank her for her intervention and for sharing those examples from the representatives she meets with. We are really keen to engage with those and understand the impact, of those and understand the impact, of course, and I've sort of given my reflection today around those concerns, but it adds to my wider point. If we want to hear that evidence and pick that up. And that's why our focus in the meantime has been helping those employers directly on employers directly on apprenticeships, whether it's at 2000 higher impairment for smaller employers, taking on 16 to 24 year old apprentices, the 3000 youth jobs grant, the non-national insurance for employers and apprentices under 25, and fully funded apprenticeship training for eligible under 25.

They're really important to help drive up apprenticeships across the country, in particular in this sector. We're working with them on assessment reforms so that hair and beauty apprenticeships are rigorous. The proportionate and trusted by employers. Finally, Madam Deputy Speaker on money laundering, serious and organised crime damages our high streets and undermines honest businesses. And I thank the hon. Member and my friend for raising that this evening. Tackling this is a priority for this government. A criminal front can employ a registered barber as easily as anyone else, and a register with reflections around how. Who owns a business, where the money comes from, how it could even maybe lend it as respectability.

It does not deserve as a key consideration. My hon. Friend the Member for Bolton West mentioned the operation since March 2025 that's been led by the National Crime Agency. That's seen over 3000 suspect high street premises, visited, nearly 1000 people arrested, and we are building on that with a £30 million crackdown on cash intensive businesses, including barber shops. That also includes £20 million for law enforcement, 6 million for trading standards and a new cross-government high street organised crime unit. We'll also double the maximum duration of

**** Possible New Speaker ****

closure orders very, very briefly. Minister for giving way. Will she heed the comments I made earlier about the fact that

**** Possible New Speaker ****

earlier about the fact that actually that's Really good. But the fact of the matter is, the scale of the issue is such that the government can't is such that the government can't enforce its way out of that. And there's got to be another way that prevents enforcement agencies from playing whack a mole, trying to

**** Possible New Speaker ****

playing whack a mole, trying to close down premises that are operating in an illicit way. I thank him for his intervention, Madam Speaker. I know he is working closely with colleagues across government on this issue, and I thank him for his continued campaigning and advocacy. We've got to double that maximum duration of closure orders and desk speakers, so that criminal businesses can't

**** Possible New Speaker ****

continue. Will the Minister give way? Of course. It's been really, really

**** Possible New Speaker ****

It's been really, really interesting to listen to all of the points that the Minister has made about potential negatives, about about potential negatives, about the registration scheme as a mandatory scheme and the things that might not work. I would just offer, in terms of evidence, about offer, in terms of evidence, about 100 years ago, nursing was not a registered profession in the early 20th century. All those arguments 20th century. All those arguments are very, very familiar. And people as notable as Florence Nightingale was opposed to nursing registration. It was seen as essential. And a lot of the the Wouldn't even conceive of nursing not being registered now.

And I think this is true for these other intimate professions like

**** Possible New Speaker ****

beauty and hair. I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention, and I hope he can intervention, and I hope he can hear that himself and the hon. Member and colleagues in this chamber. We do want the same things. chamber. We do want the same things. We want customers to be safe. We want workers to get the rights are entitled to. We want young people to have a route into this brilliant to have a route into this brilliant profession and criminals to have nowhere to hide on our high streets. So, as colleagues will have heard So, as colleagues will have heard today, I'm not yet persuaded that a mandatory register would deliver those things, but I am open to evidence.

So I thank hon. Members for their offer this evening. And what I am persuaded by, too, is that enforcement, employment reform and direct support for employers will deliver as her bill is before the House. It would not be right for me to comment on its specific provisions this evening, but I make her this offer. If she has evidence of harm that exists in powers not reaching, I would like my officials to look at it closely. I thank her for bringing this debate to the House this evening, for all

**** Possible New Speaker ****

colleagues, for their contributions, and for championing a sector that matters so much to our communities. Thank you. The question is that this House

**** Possible New Speaker ****

The question is that this House do now adjourn, as many as are of do now adjourn, as many as are of that opinion, say I. The ayes have
This debate has concluded
Return to start of debate - Return to top of page