Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Reed Excerpts

Tuesday 4th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Andrea Leadsom]

My hon. Friend is quite right. The UK is now growing at the fastest rate in the G7 and, indeed, is forecast to grow at the fastest rate in the G20. That is the result of our long-term economic plan—reducing business tax rates in order to get more people into work; more people paying their taxes and more people able to bring home a wage. That long-term economic plan is what is bringing our economy back into growth.

[Mr Steve Reed (Croydon North) (Lab)]

12. How many working people are in receipt of tax credits.

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Priti Patel)]

In April 2014 there were 3.3 million people in work receiving tax credits, down from 4.8 million in April 2010.

[Mr Reed]

When the Chancellor came to office, less than a quarter of housing benefit claimants in Croydon were making claims to supplement low pay. Today that figure is two fifths. Will the Minister apologise for pushing growing numbers of hard-working Croydon families into poverty?

[Priti Patel]

When it comes to the cost of living, Labour’s great recession is what made the country and the hon. Gentleman’s constituents a whole lot poorer. We now have record levels of employment, including a 9% increase in his constituency. Perhaps he would like to welcome that.