Finance (No. 2) Bill

Baroness Primarolo Excerpts

Tuesday 1st April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mark Field]

I will ask the questions rather than answer them, if the shadow Minister does not mind. He implores us to look at the Bill in a balanced way. We have heard statements about tax cuts for millionaires time and again over the past year and again today in the House. Does he recognise that the top 1% of British citizens are now paying the highest share of income tax that they have ever paid in the history of that tax—some 30%? Purists such as me have at times been mildly critical of the inconsistency of elements of the welfare and tax changes that have been made even during this coalition Government, but we have gained a hell of a lot of social cohesion in this country—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

Briefly.

[Mark Field]

—in marked contrast to many other European nations, and the Government should be congratulated on that.