Living Standards Debate

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Department: HM Treasury
Monday 5th March 2012

(12 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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For the hon. Gentleman’s information, borrowing is falling year on year, and we are not going to get borrowing down by borrowing more—however often the shadow Chancellor claims that that is the case.

Heather Wheeler Portrait Heather Wheeler (South Derbyshire) (Con)
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Does my hon. Friend agree that if the Opposition really believed in looking after low-paid people, they would have voted for the welfare cap and not voted against it? My constituents do not understand why they did that.

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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My hon. Friend is right to raise that point, which reveals a lot about Labour’s priorities. It is for Labour Members to answer why they pursued that policy. I want to address the point about welfare reform.