Budget Changes

Ian Blackford Excerpts
Monday 21st March 2016

(8 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend. We can afford to take such steps, including funding our NHS properly, only because of the strong economy delivered by this Government and by this Chancellor over the past six years.

Ian Blackford Portrait Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (SNP)
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We on the Scottish National party Benches agree that the deficit must be cut and that we must control the debt, but that that should not be done on the backs of the poor. With the disability cuts and the £3.5 billion of cuts to come in 2019-20, and with corporation tax cuts, capital gains tax cuts and an increase in the income tax threshold, does the Minister really believe we are all in this together?

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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I am pleased to hear that the hon. Gentleman believes we have to get the deficit and the debt under control. He will be aware that an independent Scotland, given what has happened to the oil price, would face the biggest deficit in the western world.