Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further plans he has to protect vulnerable groups while tackling the deficit.
Answered by Priti Patel
The government is committed to a fair tax and benefit system where everyone contributes to reducing the deficit, and those with the most make the largest contribution. Our published distributional analysis confirms that the richest are continuing to contribute the most to consolidation, even as a share of income and benefits in kind. Our reforms to the tax and welfare system promote work and personal responsibility while protecting the most vulnerable members of society. For example, the government has protected people with disabilities by uprating disability benefits in line with CPI rather than 1 percent, has implemented the triple lock on the basic state pension to protect pensioner incomes throughout this parliament, and has implemented the pupil premium and extended the free school meals program to support disadvantaged children.