Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Metcalfe Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

Because of this Government’s economic plan to deal with the record budget deficit that the previous Government left behind, more women are employed in our economy than at any other time in history, and 1.4 million women have been taken out of income tax altogether because of our personal income tax allowance increases.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

9. What assessment he has made of the effect of freezing fuel duty on the price of petrol.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Nicky Morgan)]

The autumn statement confirmed that fuel duty would be frozen for the remainder of this Parliament. As a result of this Government’s actions, average pump prices are now 13p a litre lower than they would have been if we had implemented the previous Government’s fuel duty escalator, and they will be 20p a litre lower by the end of this Parliament.

[Stephen Metcalfe]

Does my hon. Friend agree that this Government’s changes to fuel duty and the scrapping of next months’ increase proposed by the previous Government provide more proof that it is this Government who are helping hard-working families to tackle the cost of living and supporting our long-term economic plan?

[Nicky Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. He is entirely right. In total, the Government will have eased the burden on motorists by £22.5 billion over this Parliament, to 2015-16. By the end of this Parliament, it will cost the typical motorist £11 less to fill their car.