Finance (No. 2) Bill

Debate between Catherine McKinnell and Steve McCabe

Wednesday 9th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Catherine McKinnell]

The answer lies in what I have already said; the Labour Government did a huge amount to support all families up and down this country, particularly families with children. Even the Chancellor seems to agree that £3.85 a week is not going to bribe anybody down the aisle or persuade anyone to stay in a marriage if they decide they are going to leave it. The question asked by the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) does not seem to acknowledge the fundamental issues with the Government’s proposal.

[Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that one difficulty with this proposal is shown in the analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies? Robert Joyce, the senior research economist there, says:

“The policy is not a general recognition of marriage in the income tax system”.

So the argument that has been made by the Government is false, in the sense that it gives an impression about this policy which is not actually true. He goes on to say that

“it is difficult to escape the conclusion that an income tax system which makes some people worse off after a pay rise has something wrong with it.”

[The Chairman of Ways and Means (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. I think we need shorter interventions rather than speeches—I would sooner save your voice for later.