Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Saqib Bhatti Excerpts
Tuesday 29th October 2024

(3 weeks, 2 days ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rachel Reeves Portrait Rachel Reeves
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My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the disastrous impacts of the Conservative mini-Budget just over two years ago, which is still having an impact on people’s lives as they pay higher mortgage bills. This Government have committed to return sustainability to the economy and to working with business to reform our planning system, our pensions system and our skills system. We have already brought in £63.5 billion of private sector investment to grow our economy in all parts of the country and deliver the jobs and better wages that constituents in Cramlington and right across the country need to see.

Saqib Bhatti Portrait Saqib Bhatti (Meriden and Solihull East) (Con)
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Small business owners are working people, and they are some of the hardest-working people that I know. The Labour party struggled to define them over the weekend, but does the Chancellor agree that any rise in fuel duty, which the Conservatives froze or cut for 14 years, would be a tax on those hard-working people or those hard-working small business owners?

Rachel Reeves Portrait Rachel Reeves
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The previous Government factored into their forecasts an increase in fuel duty this year. I will set out our plans in the Budget tomorrow.