Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Henry Smith Excerpts
Tuesday 21st March 2023

(1 year, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jeremy Hunt Portrait Jeremy Hunt
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We are doing a great deal. As the hon. Lady will know, we set up a new scheme, the energy bills discount scheme, to help businesses in the coming year. As I mentioned to my hon. Friend the Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy), we are also giving them 75% relief on their business rates. We will continue to do everything we can for this very important sector.

Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
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4. What fiscal steps he is taking to provide financial support to people on lower incomes.

Jeremy Hunt Portrait The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Jeremy Hunt)
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In addition to extending the energy price guarantee, and to help people further, cost of living payments for vulnerable households will kick in next year. We are also uprating benefits and increasing the national living wage to £10.42 an hour.

Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith
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What assessment has my right hon. Friend made of the saving a typical family will achieve as a result of his fuel duty measures announced in last week’s Budget?

Jeremy Hunt Portrait Jeremy Hunt
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I thank my hon. Friend for saying that. We think the average driver has saved about £200 in total since the 5p cut was introduced, but we are also introducing draught relief for beer drinkers in pubs and 30 hours of free childcare for young parents who are struggling with childcare costs. There are a lot of cost of living measures in the Budget.