Oral Answers to Questions

Huw Irranca-Davies Excerpts

Tuesday 10th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

I am grateful, as always, to my hon. Friend for his question. He is absolutely right: it is a huge cut in income tax. In fact, over the course of this Parliament and before we take any decisions on next year’s Budget, we are already committed to spending £38 billion to reduce the income tax of working people. That is a massive commitment from this Government to cut income tax for the working people of the United Kingdom.

[Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab)]

7. What recent representations he has received on reform of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

The Chancellor receives representations on a wide range of matters, including on the role of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.

[Huw Irranca-Davies]

Labour has called for the OBR charter to be amended so that it can independently audit the manifestos of political parties in the run up to elections. Will the Minister now support that proposal?

[Mr Gauke]

We are cautious about that because, as a Labour spokesman in the House of Lords said in 2010:

“the OBR should not become embroiled in political controversy.”

I understand that the Labour party is seeking ways to improve its economic credibility. I suggest that a better, more obvious approach would be to change the shadow Chancellor.