Oral Answers to Questions

Charlie Elphicke Excerpts

Tuesday 8th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

The previous Government managed to raise a number of children who were just below the poverty line just above it, without tackling the fundamental causes of why they were in that position in the first place. What is particularly depressing is that it is as if nothing has been learned from the experiment of the past 13 years. Clearly, we need to look more broadly, rather than just at giving households in poverty money. We need to help them to get back into work. It has to be wrong that in this country, the marginal tax rates for those in low-income families who are going back to work can be in the 90th percentile range. We would never dream of taxing people who are rich that much, but we tax people who are poor at those rates.

[Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con)]

10. What recent assessment he has made of the level of growth in the UK economy compared with those of other OECD countries.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander)]

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility will publish forecasts for growth in the UK ahead of the emergency Budget.

[Charlie Elphicke]

There is too much deprivation in Dover and Deal. We need more jobs and money locally. What action will the Government take to increase the trend growth rate of this nation, so that the people of Dover and Deal get more jobs and money, and Britain does better?