Oral Answers to Questions

Julie Hilling Excerpts

Monday 10th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

Every time I travel close to Kettering, I find myself saying, “Thank God for Kettering borough council.” What a great, well-run council it is. It is my pleasure to say from this Dispatch Box—I think for the 10th time—that Kettering borough council is magnificent, as is its Member of Parliament.

[Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab)]

What is the additional cost to people on low incomes who now have to pay for basic services that they need and who have lost their council tax benefit?

[Mr Pickles]

I assume that the hon. Lady is making some kind of spending commitment on behalf of the Labour party—an unlimited one. Local schemes are put in place by local councils. We have offered them transitional relief to help them. It is a ludicrous argument to say that poor people and people who are struggling hard do not pay council tax. The problem with the hon. Lady is that she belongs to the political classes, who are out of touch with the needs of ordinary people.