Economic Inequality Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: HM Treasury

Economic Inequality

Lord Lawson of Blaby Excerpts
Monday 10th February 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Newby Portrait Lord Newby
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, one of the priorities of the Government is to ensure that work pays for everybody. This is one of the benefits that the Universal Credit will bring. This is one of the advantages of taking 2.7 million people out of income tax altogether. This is one of the reasons why my colleague, Vince Cable, has asked the Low Pay Commission to look at raising the minimum wage beyond what it might otherwise do, and this is why the Government support the living wage. Ensuring that work pays—and pays well—for people at modest levels of income is a top priority for this Government.

Lord Lawson of Blaby Portrait Lord Lawson of Blaby (Con)
- Hansard - -

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that it is far more important to focus on making the poor richer than on making the rich poorer?