Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Bryant Excerpts
Tuesday 11th October 2022

(2 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kwasi Kwarteng Portrait Kwasi Kwarteng
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As I have stated a number of times already, the energy support package will help every single one of the businesses in the hon. Member’s constituency. I would be very pleased to see the Lib Dem growth plan. The anti-growth coalition carps from the side lines but it has nothing to say about growth.

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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The one thing businesses always want is security, and an understanding of what is going to happen for them next year. They are worrying about their borrowing costs for next year, and the Chancellor has already made that more difficult for them. He says he has a package for energy costs, but that lasts for only six months. Yesterday I spoke to a man who owns a leisure company. He said that his bill next year will go from £100,000 to £475,000, and that he will be closing. Why does the Chancellor not bring in a proper measure that will last more than six months?

Kwasi Kwarteng Portrait Kwasi Kwarteng
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The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point in respect of energy costs, and that is precisely why we intervened in the way that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced only a couple of weeks ago. The package is £60 billion for households and businesses across the next six months. That is a generous package, and we are listening.