Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Tim Farron Excerpts
Tuesday 15th March 2022

(2 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Helen Whately Portrait Helen Whately
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My hon. Friend makes an important point, and I know he is knowledgeable about this sector. It is important to remember that financial services are to the benefit of the whole country, with two thirds of jobs in financial services being outside London and the south-east. Financial services are absolutely an important part of our ambitions for levelling up.

Tim Farron Portrait Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)
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In rural communities, especially Cumbria, we are deeply concerned about the Government’s apparent lack of concern about growth in the rural parts of this country. Is the Minister aware of the enormous damage being done to farming in the UK, just at the moment when we need our farmers the most, by the reduction in basic payments? That started in December when farmers lost between 5% and 25% of their basic payment, without any availability of anything to replace it for years to come. Will she intervene now to keep basic payments where they currently are, so that we can keep Britain farming?