Financial Statement

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

The hon. Gentleman is simply wrong on VAT. If he looks at the figures published today, he will see that the OBR’s estimate of VAT receipts in the forthcoming year is actually lower than the amount it had expected in the autumn. We are providing a tax cut for small businesses today—£1,000 due to the increase in the employment allowance, and that will kick in in just a couple of weeks.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

As always, the Chancellor has forgotten the poorest—those claiming pensions, those claiming social security and those living below the minimum income threshold, who have been hit by the cost of living crisis. All that my poorest constituents want is food, warmth and shelter against soaring house prices. All they got was 6p a day from the housing support fund on average. Will the Chancellor go back again and review the rise in social security payments? Those people need that money, or else they will go hungry, they will experience hypothermia and they will be homeless.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

Order. It is important that the questions are very brief at this stage if I am going to get the last few people in.