Oral Answers to Questions

Louie French Excerpts

Tuesday 9th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

5. What recent steps he has taken to reduce the rate of inflation.

[Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con)]

9. What progress he has made on reducing the rate of inflation.

--- Later in debate ---

[Andrew Griffith]

My hon. Friend is a doughty champion for his constituents. The Office for Budget Responsibility this year does expect food, tobacco and alcohol inflation to fall significantly, and that is not all. The Government recognise the challenges facing households due to the elevated cost of living in general, including food, so we took action at the spring statement to support struggling families. Taken together with previous action, support to households to help with bills is worth an average of £3,300 a year across this year and next.

[Mr French]

The Government are absolutely right to prioritise reducing inflation given the significant impact it is having on families and businesses across the country. I welcome the support that the Minister has just outlined for families in my constituency of Old Bexley and Sidcup. Can he confirm what assessment has been made by the Treasury of the impact of more than a decade of abnormal monetary policy following the global financial crisis?

[Andrew Griffith]

As my hon. Friend knows, monetary policy is the responsibility of the independent Monetary Policy Committee and the Bank of England. We will continue to work closely with them to ensure that monetary and fiscal policy are well co-ordinated. The Chancellor reconfirmed the inflation target of 2% at the autumn statement and confirmed that this Government will not change the target.