United Kingdom Declining Birth Rate Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

United Kingdom Declining Birth Rate

Lord Watts Excerpts
Wednesday 6th November 2024

(2 weeks, 6 days ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Livermore Portrait Lord Livermore (Lab)
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We have to ensure that changing technology works to the benefit of all in society and contributes to our key objective of economic growth.

Lord Watts Portrait Lord Watts (Lab)
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My Lords, it appears that the major problem is the number of older people now living longer. It is not a problem for them or for us but it has economic implications. Is it not the case that it takes two working people in each household to pay tax to keep one pensioner at home? What are we going to do to bridge the gap between the number of people working and the number who are not?

Lord Livermore Portrait Lord Livermore (Lab)
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Clearly, we have an ageing society and there are associated costs with that. That is why increasing the levels of economic growth in our country is so important, so that we have the resources to fund the priorities that matter to us.