Finance (No. 4) Bill
Debate between Alison McGovern and Harriett Baldwin(12 years, 7 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Alison McGovern
That point was very well made. I am never surprised by the ability of people to brush over things. We have heard this afternoon that this is a minor technical change. As I said, I am quoting the BBC itself—[Laughter.] I know that Conservative Members are not always the greatest fans of the BBC, but it states that
“it is a ‘middle-income’ range of 40% of pensioners who will not get what they might have expected from the tax system.”
Harriett Baldwin
Much as we all love and admire the BBC, not everything that it puts on its website to do with benefit changes is accurate. I am sure that the hon. Lady would want to find a more reliable source.
Alison McGovern
Would the hon. Lady like to intervene on me again, then, and say what proportion of pensioners will be affected, if she thinks the BBC is unreliable?
Harriett Baldwin
A BBC website had a wholly inaccurate story yesterday about the changes to employment and support allowance, so it is not an accurate source. That is the point I am trying to make.
Alison McGovern
Is the hon. Lady therefore saying that the proportion is not 40%? She indicates that she does not know—that is fine.