Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Johnny Mercer Excerpts
Tuesday 19th January 2016

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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Household debt as a proportion of household income was 168% in 2008 and today it is 142%, so it has fallen.

Johnny Mercer Portrait Johnny Mercer (Plymouth, Moor View) (Con)
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T3. This Chancellor has given more than any before him to the cause of looking after our armed forces veterans in this country, and for that I thank him wholeheartedly. Does he agree that although the charity sector has a key role to play, ultimately veterans’ care is a state responsibility and we must ensure that the money coming from Government is used for evidence-based, empirically measured professional treatments for our veterans and their families?

George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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My hon. Friend obviously has huge experience in this area, personally and because he represents a constituency that has given much to the defence of our nation. He is right: as well as the LIBOR fines, which we use for specific one-off causes to help military charities, we have the armed forces covenant and the annual commitment to support our veterans. I am always happy to look at either specific projects in which we can invest or ongoing concerns we can deal with.