Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Halfon Excerpts
Tuesday 3rd July 2018

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Philip Hammond
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We did not announce any reckless tax cuts in the manifesto last year. The Prime Minister made it very clear in her announcement about NHS funding that we will continue to deliver on our fiscal rules, and we will continue to ensure that debt falls. I will make announcements at future fiscal events explaining exactly how we will do that.

Robert Halfon Portrait Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)
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Given that the independent Centre for Economics and Business Research has said that the fuel duty freeze has contributed to creating 121,000 jobs, and that the Treasury said in 2014 that the benefits of the fuel duty freeze had offset the loss in tax income, does the Minister not agree that it would be absolute madness to raise fuel duty and hit working people up and down this country?

Mel Stride Portrait Mel Stride
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I thank my right hon. Friend for his very relevant and, may I say, predictable question—he has been a doughty campaigner on this particular issue—but all I would say to him is that we will of course be looking at taxation, with everybody in their different ways paying a little bit more, to make sure that we fund the significant amount we have now committed to our national health service.