Oral Answers to Questions

Harriett Baldwin Excerpts

Wednesday 11th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Dame Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

Q12. I thought that socialism was about taxing those with the broadest shoulders in order to help the most vulnerable, but it appears that Starmer socialism involves scaring those with the broadest shoulders out of the country while taking away the winter fuel allowance for frail 90-year-olds living in draughty homes. Will the Prime Minister apologise to my shivering constituents for his personal choice, and will he reverse this chilling decision?

[The Prime Minister]

My choice is to stabilise the economy after 14 years of failure, and I will tell the House why: when a Government lose control of the economy, it is working people who pay the price. I will not let that happen under a Labour Government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Harriett Baldwin Excerpts

Wednesday 13th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

No, Mr Speaker. I am pleased that the gentleman is supporting a party that represents one of the most diverse Governments in this country’s history, led by this country’s first British Asian Prime Minister.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

I look forward to voting later today for a tax cut for thousands of my constituents; a national insurance tax cut that will mean £900 off the tax bill of thousands of my constituents. After listening to the rhetoric from the Leader of the Opposition today, does the Prime Minister expect that the main Opposition party will vote against this afternoon’s tax cuts?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend raises an excellent question, because while Conservative Members believe in a country where hard work is rewarded and people can keep more of their hard-earned money—which is why we are cutting their taxes by an average of £900 each—we hear consistently from Labour Members that they not only disagree with that approach, but continue to cling to unfunded spending promises that would put taxes up. Also, just yesterday the shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the hon. Member for Bristol North West (Darren Jones), described our plan to end the double taxation on work as “morally abhorrent”. That is the contrast between us and them: Labour will put your taxes up, and the Conservatives will keep cutting them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Harriett Baldwin Excerpts

Wednesday 19th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I am very sorry to hear about the case that he raises. My thoughts are with Anne and her husband, as I am sure everyone’s will be, at this difficult time. I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman gets a meeting as soon as possible with the relevant Minister to discuss and progress this case further.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

Q12.   Can I tell a tale of two councils? My constituents who live in Conservative-controlled Wychavon District Council have enjoyed six years of council tax freezes and excellent public services, while my constituents who live in the Malvern Hills District Council area, which is run by a rag-tag-bag of so-called independents and Greens, pay nearly 50% more in council tax for a band D property. Does the Prime Minister agree that the best thing my constituents can do on the cost of living is to vote Conservative on 4 May?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is of course right. Right across the country, those who live in Conservative council areas pay lower council tax than those in Labour council areas. The choice at this election is clear: it is the Conservatives who deliver for you and it is Labour that costs you.

Oral Answers to Questions

Harriett Baldwin Excerpts

Wednesday 9th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I direct the House to what I have already said to my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Jill Mortimer). The right hon. Gentleman knows very well that this Government hate fraud and online fraud. We are tackling the scammers by helping people to come forward when they get an email—when they get duped. We are of course helping them in any way that we can, but we are also cutting the crime that affects people up and down our country—the neighbourhood crime—and dealing with the county lines drugs gangs, and the right hon. Gentleman should support that as well. I am proud that those numbers have come down by 17%.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

Q9. Wednesday 9 February. It is wonderful news that the first in-person Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting for four years will take place during Her Majesty’s platinum jubilee year. Will the Prime Minister ensure that the global learning crisis is high on the agenda? Will he ask his amazing diplomats to ensure that every leader in the Commonwealth signs up to the Kenyatta declaration on education?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend very much for everything she does to support education for girls. Twelve years of quality education for every girl in the world is probably the single most transformative thing we can do to improve the world. I remember working with my friend Uhuru Kenyatta on that declaration and we will certainly ensure that everybody at the Commonwealth meeting signs up to it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Harriett Baldwin Excerpts

Wednesday 27th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

11. What recent progress has been made by the commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Mrs Cheryl Gillan)]

The commission expects to report during the current parliamentary Session.

[Harriett Baldwin]

Would the Secretary of State like to tell the House what evidence she has given to the commission?

[Mrs Gillan]

So far I have not been asked to give any evidence to the commission, but I understand that there will be a long discussion about the issue. I know that my hon. Friend is especially keen to give evidence and to provide information to the commission, and I am sure that she will have that opportunity.