Higher Earners: Emigration
Debate between Lord Robathan and Lord Livermore(3 weeks ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Livermore (Lab)
I would just point out to the noble Baroness that the vast majority of people on benefits, as she puts it, are also in work—working hard every day to provide for their families. It is quite right that the state should help them to do so.
Lord Robathan (Con)
My Lords, the point is that £100,000 is not a huge amount of money. I am glad that the Labour Peers want to pay, but it is very important to encourage people to stay here to keep their money in the country. If they are taxed beyond belief, they will leave. That is not just any old Conservative Peer but people throughout the streets. The Minister must know that, but does he agree?
Lord Livermore (Lab)
The noble Lord says that £100,000 is not very much money. He may like to know that average earnings are around £33,000, which is well below the higher-rate threshold, and around 80% of taxpayers pay only the basic rate.
Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner
Debate between Lord Robathan and Lord Livermore(1 year, 4 months ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Livermore (Lab)
I am grateful to my noble friend for his question, and he is absolutely right. We promised that we would act on the fraud and waste that took place during the Covid pandemic. Let us remember that billions of pounds were handed out to friends and donors of the Conservative Party, including a £40 million contract awarded to the then Health Secretary’s local pub landlord. Billions more were defrauded from the taxpayer, and more than £1 billion was spent on PPE that either did not arrive or was not fit for purpose.
On entering government, we found £674 million of contracts in dispute, but we inherited a recommendation from the previous Government that any attempt to reclaim that money should be abandoned. That is unacceptable. The Chancellor has instead put a block on any contract being abandoned or waived until it has been independently reviewed by the commissioner, and she will absolutely ensure that regular reports are given to Parliament, as my noble friend asks, on the progress of that work.
Lord Robathan (Con)
Can the Minister confirm that his colleague, the anti-corruption Minister, resigned over allegations of corruption, and can he please tell the House what assistance His Majesty’s Government or the police are giving to the authorities in Bangladesh investigating this?
Lord Livermore (Lab)
I am not sure what that has to do with the Question before us, but the Prime Minister and the Minister involved absolutely have set out the circumstances of that case in the letters that they exchanged.