Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Sarah Champion

Tuesday 15th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Champion (Rotherham) (Lab)]

T9. Last week, over 100,000 civil servants from the Public and Commercial Services Union voted to take industrial action following attacks on their jobs. For the first time ever, the Royal College of Nursing has voted to strike over pay. Lecturers, health workers, teachers, postal and transport workers—all people who aim to support this country—are suffering because of the cost of living crisis and the former Prime Minister’s £30 billion ideological rant. The autumn statement needs to show that working people are being listened to. Will it do that, or will it just punish them?

[Jeremy Hunt]

I believe it will do that, because the cost of living crisis is at the top of our minds. We recognise the hard work that public servants do in a whole range of sectors and, as I know, with my background, in the health service as well. We must tread a fine line, however, because if we give inflation-busting pay awards to people who may deserve them and may be working extremely hard, that will fuel further inflation. We need to get the right long-term solution that brings down the root cause of people’s anger, which is over-high inflation.