Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Steve McCabe and Danny Alexander(10 years, 8 months ago)
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Danny Alexander
I agree wholeheartedly with my hon. Friend. I can update him on one point of fact. By April this year, we will have taken not 2.4 million low earners out of tax, but 2.7 million low earners.
Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)
Given that the married couples tax break helps just one sixth of families with children and one third of married couples, is it an example of the Government’s well-targeted support?
Danny Alexander
I would prefer it if those resources were used to fund further increases in the personal allowance. However, the hon. Gentleman should welcome the fact that the Government are saving thousands of people in his constituency £700 a year in income tax that they would be paying if his party had stayed in office.
National Infrastructure Plan
Debate between Steve McCabe and Danny Alexander(10 years, 10 months ago)
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Danny Alexander
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her important contribution to the debate on the A14. I said in my statement that the decision not to go ahead with tolls on the road will not delay the project. We are working with the Department for Transport to make sure that the time scale is as rapid as possible. I cannot give my hon. Friend any particular assurances at the moment, but I am sure my colleagues in the Department for Transport will have heard her comments.
Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)
This is actually the coalition’s fourth national infrastructure plan in three and a half years. The Chief Secretary is not a press officer now; do we not need a bit more effort in implementation and rather less on presentation?
Danny Alexander
The hon. Gentleman’s party may not be very good at maths, but I am sure even Labour could work out that when a Government are in their fourth year in office and have promised to update a plan annually, they will give four iterations.