Oral Answers to Questions

Josh Newbury Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd June 2026 Commons Chamber

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

1. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department’s policies on household budgets.

[Josh Newbury (Cannock Chase) (Lab)]

14. What steps she has taken to help support households with the cost of living.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves)]

The Government recognise that energy costs, inflation and global pressures continue to squeeze household budgets. That is why we have taken careful, targeted action through the great British summer savings package which launches on Thursday, cutting VAT on summer activities so that adventure parks, soft play centres, cinemas and theatres will be cheaper, alongside the work we are doing to maintain the triple lock and to lift children out of poverty.

[Rachel Reeves]

The measures I took in my Budget last year took £150 off energy bills by getting rid of some levies altogether and moving others to general taxation. If we look at the most recent inflation numbers, inflation in the UK was 2.8% last month, which compares to 3.2% in the eurozone and 4% in the US. Food inflation was at its lowest rate for 17 months.

[Josh Newbury]

The Chancellor will know that I have raised the need to take action on the costs faced by farmers and families alike, both of which she has done. The great British summer savings scheme will be a brilliant help with the cost of giving kids a great school holiday, particularly the free bus travel for five to 15-year-olds throughout August. Does the Chancellor agree that continuing to look at how we can support affordable bus travel for constituents like mine in Cannock Chase will be very important even beyond the great summer break to come?