Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Justin Tomlinson
Monday 19th November 2018

(6 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alistair Carmichael Portrait Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)
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2. If she will end the freeze on working-age benefits.

Justin Tomlinson Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Justin Tomlinson)
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The Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 froze the majority of working-age benefits for four tax years from 2016-17. Those provisions will lapse in 2020, and the pre-existing statutory arrangements will come back into force.

Alistair Carmichael Portrait Mr Carmichael
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According to the Resolution Foundation, the value of working-age benefits has fallen by 6.4% since 2014. What does the Minister think it tells us about the Government of which he is a part that the Chancellor’s priority in the Budget was to give a tax cut to higher rate taxpayers like him and me, rather than addressing that?

Justin Tomlinson Portrait Justin Tomlinson
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The reality is that the poorest fifth in society are £400 a year better off in real terms, and the richest fifth in society are £800 worse off.