Oral Answers to Questions

Sandra Osborne Excerpts

Wednesday 18th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes) (Lab)]

9. How many pensioners in Scotland will be affected by the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s decision on age-related personal allowances.

[Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (Lab)]

10. How many pensioners in Scotland will be affected by the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s decision on age-related personal allowances.

[Gregg McClymont (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (Lab)]

13. How many pensioners in Scotland will be affected by the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s decision on age-related personal allowances.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Mundell]

I know that the hon. Gentleman was not a Member of this Parliament for most of the 13 years of the last Labour Government, but most of his colleagues from Scotland were, and I did not hear them calling at that time for an increase in the higher rate of income tax. He is wrong to say that there will be losers in relation to the age-related allowances; there will be no cash losers.

[Sandra Osborne]

If, as the Government say, this measure is about fairness and simplification, why did they not wait until the full £10,000 personal allowance was in place before imposing this stealth tax on pensioners?

[David Mundell]

I acknowledge that the hon. Lady is well known for speaking up both for the low-paid and for those on the minimum wage. That is why I would have thought that she would have welcomed the fact that the Government are raising the personal allowance to £10,000 during this course of this Parliament. [Interruption.]