Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mel Stride and Antoinette Sandbach

Tuesday 5th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mel Stride]

The hon. Lady is right to raise an issue that relates to our tariff policy in the event of a no-deal Brexit. We have made it clear that we will carefully balance this, protecting consumers from unwanted price rises at the same time as using our tariff policy to provide appropriate protection to vital elements of the economy.

[Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury) (Con)]

Cheshire-based company ABB has stated that investment in automation could result in radical improvements in cost efficiency, allowing work to move back to the UK. Will my right hon. Friend consider incentivising investment in automation through the tax system?

[Mel Stride]

We have already brought in some important measures to do just that, not least by increasing the annual investment allowance from £200,000 to £1 million, as announced at the previous Budget. We keep all taxes under review and I will certainly bear my hon. Friend’s important point in mind.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mel Stride and Antoinette Sandbach

Wednesday 17th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mel Stride]

My hon. Friend makes an important point about the speed of broadband roll-out. Of course, on the broadband issue, the Government in Westminster have recently made available £1 billion across the UK to stimulate market delivery of fibre and mobile coverage.

[Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury) (Con)]

Like rural Scotland, rural Cheshire has suffered from a number of branch closures that have left constituents without access to services that can be provided only by banks. What can the Minister do to ensure that my constituents can access those services?

[Mel Stride]

As I have outlined, we support the access to banking standard, but post offices have also received considerable support from this Government and are able to provide a lot of the financial services that individuals and businesses require. In rural areas, for example, 99% of residents are within three miles of the nearest post office.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Debate between Mel Stride and Antoinette Sandbach

Thursday 26th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury) (Con)]

Hundreds of families in my constituency have benefited from Help to Buy, and I very much welcome the changes in stamp duty. How many people in the north-west have benefited from those changes?

[Mel Stride]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. Mr Speaker, at one point you wanted me to respond rather quickly. If you now wish me to go a little more slowly to allow others to attend the Chamber, I am at your disposal.