Oral Answers to Questions

Jamie Stone Excerpts

Tuesday 11th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)]

7. If he will publish an assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility of the growth plan 2022 before 23 November 2022.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

The hon. Gentleman will have seen that I have brought forward the publication of the medium-term fiscal plan to 31 October.

[Jamie Stone]

I think the House will agree that the uncertainty over the date has not exactly helped forward planning on benefits. Any real cut in benefits will mean people not having enough money to buy food and clothing for their children, so does the Chancellor agree that increasing benefits in line with inflation is the only fair way forward? Indeed, it would be immoral to do otherwise. As the chief executive of Inverness citizens advice bureau pointed out to me, such benefit money is spent in the local economy and is a boost to what the Chancellor has talked about many times: growing the economy.

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I am delighted to see that one member of the anti-growth coalition is focusing on growth. However, on the hon. Gentleman’s specific question, he will understand that the medium-term fiscal plan is coming out on 31 October, and I will not prejudge any measures in it.