All 1 Debates between Elizabeth Truss and Royston Smith

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Royston Smith
Tuesday 22nd May 2018

(5 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
- Hansard - -

What we have done for families is make sure that more parents and families are in work than ever before, enabling them to look after and support their children. We are also investing a record amount in childcare—£6 billion a year—to help more parents into work.

Royston Smith Portrait Royston Smith (Southampton, Itchen) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

19. Increases in the personal allowance and the national living wage, and the freeze to fuel duty, have helped my constituents with the cost of living. However, things are still tough and too many are just about managing. What further plans does my right hon. Friend have to continue to support my hardworking constituents?

Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
- Hansard - -

My hon. Friend is right that we need to keep taxes down, but we also need to recognise the role that free enterprise and free markets play in encouraging competition, allowing new products to come to the market and keeping prices low. The reason why we have low food prices and cheap air fares is because we have successfully kept those markets open. The Labour party advocates abandoning that.