Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, The cumulative impact in living standards of public spending changes, published on 28 November, which states that public spending changes have had a disproportionately negative impact on lone parents, young adults, severely disabled people and certain ethnic groups since 2010.

The EHRC’s report does not cover the increase in spending in the new multi-year funding plan for NHS England, equating to £20.5bn more per year in real terms by 2023-24.

The Treasury, along with other relevant departments, carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics - including at Budgets and other fiscal events - in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness.