Oral Answers to Questions

Ashley Fox Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Torsten Bell]

I absolutely agree with the point that my hon. Friend makes about reliance on emergency food parcels. In his constituency, over 90% of properties fall into council tax bands A to D, which means that residents will receive £100 directly in their bank accounts come January, in the coldest part of the year, but he is right to say that we must go further. That is why we will see 29 million households benefiting from the extended cut to VAT on electricity and 35 million motorists benefiting through extending the freeze in fuel duty. On the social security question he raises, that is also why we have ensured we are changing the support that goes to families with children, so that this Parliament sees the biggest fall in child poverty of any Parliament on record.

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

The Government have said that they wish to join the EU’s internal energy market, which will involve a payment to the EU for the privilege. When will the Government say how much that policy will cost British taxpayers?

[Emma Reynolds]

The hon. Gentleman will know that an EU summit is coming up on 20 November, and we are still negotiating with the EU. We are putting right the botched Brexit that we inherited from the Conservative party, which put frictions at our border and increased costs for farmers, family businesses and others.