Oral Answers to Questions

Paul Blomfield Excerpts

Tuesday 7th May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

4. What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of his tax policies on living standards.

[Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central) (Lab)]

17. What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of his tax policies on living standards.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Nigel Huddleston)]

Thanks to a combination of national insurance cuts and above-inflation increases to thresholds since 2010, the average worker on £35,400 will pay more than £1,500 less in personal taxes this year. In addition, maintaining fuel duty rates at their current levels represents a further £13 billion benefit to households over the three years since the introduction of the freeze.

[Nigel Huddleston]

The hon. Lady’s first comment was correct: everyone in this House recognises the extreme cost of living challenges over the past few years, and that is precisely why the Government have adopted the strategy of a laser focus on inflation, combined with tax cuts and, recently, national insurance cuts. We have a very constructive and positive relationship with the EU, and are always engaging with it on a variety of matters.

[Paul Blomfield]

In the run-up to last week’s elections, the Prime Minister never stopped talking about national insurance cuts, and the Minister talked about them again today, but the Government have been giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Does the Minister recognise that according to the Resolution Foundation, the combined impact of all the Government’s tax changes leaves workers who earn less than £26,000 a year worse off? Will he apologise to workers in South Yorkshire, whose average earnings are close to that level, for misrepresenting the position?