Lord Harper
Main Page: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Harper's debates with the HM Treasury
(2 months, 1 week ago)
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Lord Livermore (Lab)
I am not in a position to stand here and suggest a 50% business rates reduction for any business, but my noble friend is absolutely right on the importance of taking action across the board to help reduce the cost of living. As I say, we have frozen rail fares, frozen prescription fees and taken £150 off energy bills—these are the driving factors behind today’s bigger than expected fall in inflation.
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)
It is the turn of the Conservative Benches next, and then of the Liberal Democrat Benches.
Lord Harper (Con)
I am grateful to the Government Chief Whip. The Minister will be aware that the Scottish Government are proposing compulsory caps on the prices of basic foodstuffs in supermarkets that operate in Scotland. Can the Minister confirm for the benefit of your Lordships whether that power is actually within the devolved competence of the Scottish Government?
Lord Livermore (Lab)
That may be subject to UK internal market and single market regulations. I am happy to check and confirm that to the noble Lord. As I have said, this is not about price caps, as some speculation has suggested, and we would never advocate for that.