Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases

Ed Miliband Lab

Doncaster North

Moves an amendment to regret that the Gracious Speech fails to announce a windfall tax on oil and gas producers, highlights the social emergency faced due to rising energy bills leading to food scarcity and wage falls, criticises the Chancellor's past Budget speech for its complacency, and emphasises the failure of the current economic plan.

Aaron Bell Con

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Questions the effectiveness of local councils in distributing emergency funds to citizens and challenges Labour's stance on cost-of-living issues.

Caroline Lucas Green

Brighton Pavilion

Raises concerns about underfunding of net zero initiatives, linking it to the struggle of constituents dealing with fuel poverty and inflation.

Jim Shannon DUP

Strangford

Presents figures on poverty levels in Northern Ireland, highlighting the economic challenges faced by various demographics.

Laura Trott Con

Sevenoaks

Defends government measures such as increases to the national living wage and universal credit, emphasising their positive impact despite Labour's criticism.

Mark Harper Con

Fittleworth

Responds to Ed Miliband’s speech by highlighting the current low unemployment rate and criticises Labour for making unfunded spending commitments without detailing how they would be financed.

Rishi Sunak Con

Richmond and Northallerton

Defends the Queen's Speech, emphasising measures to ease cost-of-living pressures with billions of pounds of support for families and grow the economy. Acknowledges global inflation challenges but highlights government efforts despite difficult economic conditions.

Stephen Timms Lab

East Ham

Questions the Chancellor about increasing universal credit payments, similar to what was done during the pandemic.

Therese Coffey

Indicates assent to a question regarding potential increases in universal credit and receives further questions from Labour MPs on windfall taxes and economic performance.

Alan Brown Lab

Glasgow North

The Chancellor's speech lacked new ideas and failed to address the cost of living crisis adequately. Alan Brown criticised the £9 billion support package for energy bills, noting that two-thirds will be added to energy bills, making them higher for some while providing limited support to the most vulnerable. He highlighted increasing fuel poverty with 6.5 million households at risk and up to 40% in October. Brown urged reinstating the £20 per week uplift to universal credit and called for massive increases in energy efficiency measures. The Scottish Government spends four times more on energy efficiency per capita than the UK Government, but ECO4 regulations have not been brought forward as promised. He emphasised the need to scrap the two-child limit for universal credit to lift 250,000 children out of poverty overnight.

Mel Stride Con

Central Devon

Welcomes the debate on the cost of living, highlighting high inflation rates and defending the Bank of England's independence. Discusses global economic factors contributing to inflation and monetary policy limitations. Proposes smoothing out benefits indexation to mitigate pain for struggling constituents and supports a windfall tax. Advocates for reducing the size of the civil service to save money.

Stephen Timms Lab

East Ham

Agrees with Mel Stride's comments on the Bank of England but criticises the Government's handling of benefits and social security. Highlights severe impacts on low-income families due to rising costs, energy poverty, and benefit cuts. Proposes immediate uprating of universal credit and calls for urgent measures to address housing allowance rates and the five-week wait for universal credit payments.

Theresa Villiers Con

Chipping Barnet

Villers welcomed parts of the Queen's Speech but expressed serious concerns over clauses that could erode local decision-making on planning. She emphasised the need for regulatory reform to boost the economy and create jobs, particularly in high-tech sectors. Villers argued that supply-side reforms are crucial for economic growth and stressed the importance of Brexit freedoms in enabling these changes.

Angela Eagle Lab

Wallasey

Eagle criticised the Queen's Speech as ineffective in addressing the cost of living crisis, citing warnings from the Bank of England about an 'apocalyptic' food supply situation and high inflation. She highlighted the disproportionate impact on the poorest citizens who struggle to cope with rising costs despite the lack of government assistance. Eagle also criticised the Government for ignoring law enforcement issues and the collapse in prosecution levels, while advocating for a windfall tax on energy companies.

Laura Trott Con

Sevenoaks

Welcomed the debate and discussed the challenges of inflation. She highlighted the limitations of a windfall tax, expressing concerns about its potential to harm competition, discourage investment, and fail to significantly reduce prices for consumers. Proposed introducing a measure to prevent energy disconnections similar to water supply regulations.

John Cryer

Described the widespread economic insecurity affecting millions of people in the UK, referencing food bank usage statistics. Criticised the Government's lack of intervention and the Chancellor for not addressing the situation adequately. Suggested that full-scale state intervention is necessary during national catastrophes.

Mike Wood Con

Kingswinford and South Staffordshire

Acknowledged the pressing challenge of rising costs of living and welcomed the support measures announced by the Chancellor, including increases in the national living wage and universal credit. However, he also urged for more to be done as many constituents continue to struggle. Discussed potential measures such as a windfall tax but emphasised the need for careful consideration of its benefits and costs.

Maria Eagle Lab

Liverpool Garston

The MP argues for the enactment of the Public Advocate Bill, criticises economic stagnation under the current government, and calls for an emergency Budget with a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.

Anne Marie Morris

She discusses the cost of housing as being a domestic competence issue rather than international pressure-driven. She advocates for local authorities to have more power over planning systems for affordable housing, criticises the lack of help provided by the government despite recognising that everyone is hurting due to rising costs, and suggests cutting VAT on energy bills.

Valerie Vaz Lab

Walsall South

The cost of living crisis is engulfing the nations and regions, with benefits and pensions rising less than inflation. The Government’s programme offers no relief, while a windfall tax on oil and gas companies could ease the pressure. Additionally, the Government's handling of PPE waste, fraud in covid support schemes, and planning issues have been wasteful and incompetent.

Richard Fuller Con

North Bedfordshire

Welcomed Her Majesty’s Gracious Speech focusing on long-term solutions for decarbonising home heat through community green schemes that attract private investment. Emphasised the need for regulatory reform to address issues like Ofgem's failure to improve competition and oversee energy companies effectively.

Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem

Bath

Critiques the Queen's Speech for lacking provisions on making misogyny a hate crime, affordable housing, climate emergency measures. Raises concerns about energy costs, highlighting a constituent's struggle to heat her home and the rising household energy bill in Bath and North East Somerset. Discusses insufficient investment in net-zero homes, dental care shortages, long ambulance waiting times due to social care crisis, and the delayed employment Bill aimed at protecting pregnant women and new mothers from redundancy.

Marcus Fysh

Expresses concern over the global economic trajectory and deglobalisation due to the Ukraine crisis. Advocates for fiscal measures such as reducing VAT rates and fuel duty to help reduce prices, urging against complacency regarding rising food and fertiliser costs. Emphasises the need for investment in domestic food production and energy to avoid stagflation. Calls for urgent action on regulatory reform and economic growth.

Paul Blomfield

Highlights real struggles faced by constituents due to cost of living crisis, including mental health impacts and loan shark exploitation. Urges the Government to restore universal credit uplift, increase household support fund, and introduce a windfall tax to cap energy bills. Criticises lack of decisive action despite fiscal firepower acknowledged by the Prime Minister. Compares other countries' measures and calls for an emergency Budget to address the unprecedented crisis.

Derek Thomas Con

St Ives

Welcomed the opportunity to speak about the rise in energy prices and supported efforts to boost homegrown clean energy. Raised concerns over standing charges on household bills, rising food costs, and lack of supercharging in government’s response towards food production. Called for increased focus on housing challenges, especially in coastal areas like Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Peter Dowd Lab

Bootle

Congratulated Liverpool FC but as an Everton supporter requested respect for his team. Criticised the Chancellor's reluctance to loosen purse strings despite IMF predictions of UK having weakest growth and highest inflation in G7, weaker productivity than others like Germany and America. Highlighted Bootle constituency being among top 10 hardest hit by cost-of-living crisis. Urged government action immediately.

Miriam Cates

Acknowledged rising prices driven by global factors such as COVID and the war in Ukraine, supporting existing £22 billion support measures but suggesting urgent review of universal credit rates due to inflationary pressures. Welcomed Bills announced in Queen's Speech for long-term cost-of-living solutions including energy security, schools, higher education, procurement, Brexit freedoms, planning reforms (levelling up Bill). Emphasised need for fairer tax system considering family size and costs.

Aaron Bell Con

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Welcoming aspects of Her Majesty’s Gracious Speech, Aaron Bell highlights measures aimed at supporting the cost of living crisis including a national insurance threshold rise benefiting 30 million people, an increased warm home discount, and investment in holiday activities and food programmes. He also commends the Chancellor for cutting fuel duty by 5p per litre and expresses willingness to support further actions on energy if necessary. Bell calls for reforms to the council tax system to better level up lower-income households.

Gagan Mohindra Con

South West Hertfordshire

The Conservative MP acknowledges the importance of security, both military and economic. He supports the Government's focus on growing the economy through tax cuts and public debt reduction while addressing the cost of living crisis. He also highlights the proposed Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill as a step towards greater local involvement in planning processes, with an emphasis on balancing green belt preservation with housing needs.

Drew Hendry SNP

Inverness N & Ross

Since my election in 2015, I have witnessed a deterioration under the Tories. People are facing severe hardships: self-disconnecting from utilities and resorting to extreme measures like storing food outside refrigerators due to soaring bills. Despite this, the Government's response has been inadequate, failing to regulate energy prices for off-grid customers who face disproportionate increases. The removal of the £20 universal credit uplift exacerbates financial strain on families who are already struggling with a 4% increase in grocery expenses per week and higher fuel costs.

Andrew Bowie Con

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

In this debate, the Liberal Democrats advocate leaving all oil and gas in the ground, while the SNP supports Labour’s plan to impose a windfall tax on Scotland's oil industry. The former Leader of the Opposition, Edward Miliband, made offensive remarks about the oil and gas industry, suggesting that profits are unearned despite acknowledging previous Governments introducing similar taxes, which negatively impacted investment in the North Sea. Oil and gas companies already pay significant production taxes, with £18.5 billion forecasted to be paid between 2021 and 2025, and higher taxation would further hamper future investments. The Opposition ignores the broader economic impact of the oil industry on jobs, supply chains, and green technology advancements.

Carla Lockhart DUP

Upper Bann

The cost of living crisis is severe with groceries, utilities, and fuel prices increasing while household incomes are stagnating or decreasing. The OBR warns about the biggest living standards drop on record. Despite Government promises to ease costs for families, no immediate measures have been introduced. Northern Ireland faces additional economic strain due to the Northern Ireland protocol, which has led to a 27% increase in goods import costs and restricted post-covid recovery efforts. The VAT cut on renewable energy products cannot be implemented under current regulations, highlighting further issues with the protocol. There is an urgent need for action to address immediate pressures faced by households.

Holly Lynch Lab

Halifax

She highlighted the severe impact of inflation and energy price increases on families, particularly those with disabilities. She provided statistics from the Bank of England and OBR predicting a rise in absolute poverty and cited examples from her constituency to illustrate the financial strain faced by disabled individuals and carers.

Caroline Lucas Green

Brighton Pavilion

Lucas criticised the Government's policies regarding energy reliance on fossil fuels and their impact on climate change. She also addressed the cost of living crisis, urging for a rapid transition to renewable energy sources and the introduction of windfall taxes on oil companies.

Jeff Smith Lab

Manchester Withington

The Queen's Speech reflects a government with the wrong priorities, lacking a strategy to tackle the cost of living. The speech did not include important measures such as an emergency budget or legislation for football governance reform. There is a need for a windfall tax on gas and oil profits and immediate action on mental health care, employment rights, and climate change.

Stephanie Peacock Lab

Barnsley South

The rising cost of energy is causing significant distress among constituents. The speech's failure to address immediate issues like the windfall tax and pension cuts for former miners highlights a lack of support for those struggling with the cost of living.

Ben Lake PC

Ceredigion Preseli

The Queen’s Speech missed addressing critical issues such as fuel poverty, particularly in rural areas. There is an urgent need for short-term relief measures like a new social tariff and extending benefits to low-income households, alongside long-term investments in energy efficiency.

Fleur Anderson Lab

Putney

The Queen’s Speech did not address the cost of living crisis adequately. Dan, a constituent, faces a dilemma between working more hours or affording childcare, highlighting the broken system for low-income families. Pensioners and self-employed individuals are struggling with high energy bills and skipped meals to afford heating costs. The speech should have included policies on employment rights, climate action, and tackling cost-of-living issues.

Mick Whitley

The Government’s legislative programme lacks substantial solutions for the cost of living crisis in deprived areas. Measures like a windfall tax on fuel giants’ profits are necessary to help those struggling with high energy costs and food inflation. Long-term, inward investment through green industrial revolution is needed alongside progressive wealth taxes and fair taxation.

Christian Wakeford Lab

Bury South

The Queen’s Speech missed opportunities to address the cost of living crisis and other societal issues. Workers face declining living standards, health services are underfunded, education faces funding cuts, social housing lists grow, employment rights are undermined, and there is a lack of progress on cladding safety in homes.

Christine Jardine Lib Dem

Edinburgh West

She expressed disappointment in the lack of a substantial plan from the Government to address the immediate impact of the cost-of-living crisis. She highlighted the need for action now rather than long-term promises, and called for concrete measures such as reducing VAT rates to help families cope with rising costs.

Ian Lavery Lab

Blyth and Ashington

He emphasised that it is unacceptable for one of the richest countries in the world to have widespread poverty, malnutrition, and reliance on food banks. He criticised the Government's failure to address these issues effectively and urged for a windfall tax on energy companies to help alleviate financial burdens.

Kate Hollern

She discussed specific cases of constituents struggling due to rising costs and argued that immediate support measures are necessary alongside long-term strategies. She called for increased pensions, benefits, and a windfall tax on energy firms to provide relief to those affected.

Kenny MacAskill SNP

Glasgow Shettleston

MacAskill argues that Scotland's energy wealth is not translating into benefits for the community, pointing out high fuel poverty rates despite abundant natural resources. He supports a windfall tax on corporate profits and calls for regulation of unregulated fuels, prepay metres, and social tariffs to protect those in need.

Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem

North East Fife

Chamberlain criticises the government's legislative agenda amid a cost-of-living crisis. She highlights the economic inactivity rate, demands an emergency budget, and discusses the inadequate support for food banks and elderly women affected by pension changes.

Emma Hardy Lab

Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice

Hardy presents the harsh realities of food insecurity and energy costs affecting her constituents. She advocates for increased universal credit payments, cancellation of national insurance increases, reduced VAT on fuel, a windfall tax, and measures to address the poverty premium through financial inclusion legislation.

David Linden

The Queen’s Speech was inadequate as it lacked important measures such as neonatal leave and pay, and employment Bill. The Government's focus on deregulation is disconnected from the reality faced by workers. The hon. Member for Redditch (Rachel Maclean) is out of touch telling clerical assistants and others to work more or get better jobs while earning £106,000 annually herself. A windfall tax on energy companies should apply also to giants like Amazon. VAT reduction on energy bills and reinstatement of the £20 universal credit are other necessary measures.

Steven Bonnar

Conservative Members blame the pandemic for the cost of living crisis, but UK citizens suffer most compared to others globally. The Government offers no relief despite sky-high energy bills and reliance on food banks by key workers. There are 38 new laws without solutions or benefits uplifts. Workers' rights have been decimated with commonplace zero-hours contracts and fire-and-rehire practices. Scotland faces the cost of living crisis under UK governance, demonstrating the need for independence to boost incomes and build a fair society.

Alex Sobel Lab Co-op

Leeds Central

The current Queen’s Speech does not provide adequate relief for those struggling with costs and in need of a pay rise. A game-changing policy is required to make energy secure, ensure rapid decarbonisation, and wean us off gas. This includes measures such as a retrofit revolution, serious funding for the sector, a mass apprenticeship programme, and an annual target for real-terms carbon emission reductions. Additionally, there should be a windfall tax on energy, a social feed-in tariff, and lifting the ban on onshore wind.

Kim Johnson Lab

Liverpool Riverside

The Queen’s Speech offers little hope for those experiencing extreme poverty due to soaring food and fuel prices, inflation, low pay, and chronic Tory underinvestment in public services. The richest 1% report record profits while workers struggle with impossible choices between heating and eating. This Government's failure to support struggling families is forcing working people into food banks and worsening child poverty rates. Immediate action is needed, including a windfall tax, raising the minimum wage to £15 an hour, and reinstating the £20 uplift to universal credit.

Ruth Jones Lab

Newport West

The debate highlights the severe financial struggles faced by constituents in Newport West due to rising energy bills, food prices, and rent. Residents are unable to afford basic necessities such as heating their homes or feeding their families. The speaker calls for a windfall tax on oil and gas producer profits to bring down bills.

Beth Winter Lab

Cynon Valley

The cost of living crisis in the Cynon Valley is causing severe financial difficulties, with 90% of respondents feeling worse off than last year and 80% reporting mental health issues due to financial stress. Single parents and retired individuals are particularly hard hit by price increases and soaring inflation rates.

John McNally SNP

Falkirk

The cost of living crisis in Falkirk is causing significant hardship, with energy bills soaring, food prices rising, and fuel costs increasing. Pensioners are struggling to afford basic necessities like heating their homes and putting fuel in their cars, while the state pension fails to meet their needs adequately.

Alex Davies-Jones Lab

Pontypridd

The cost of living crisis is impacting Pontypridd and Taff Ely, but there are urgent short-term measures that could help families. The speaker emphasises the need for long-term solutions such as neonatal leave and pay for new parents, which were promised by the Government in an employment Bill that was abandoned.

Ian Byrne Lab

Liverpool West Derby

The crisis is due to this failing Government's choices. We need enforceable food rights so that the Government of the day are accountable for making sure that nobody goes hungry, preventing decisions leading to people being unable to afford meals or heating.

Martyn Day

The Queen’s Speech offers nothing to tackle the cost of living crisis. Poor families spend 54% of income on energy, which is unsustainable. It fails to fix issues with universal credit and pensions in the UK are among the worst in Europe, now facing serious food security issues. Malnutrition has tripled since 2010 due to Government inaction.

Zarah Sultana Lab

Coventry South

Oil giants Shell and BP made huge profits while struggling people face energy bill hikes of 54%. The crisis was made by political choices in Downing Street, including zero tax on North Sea oil and gas production for Shell. We could choose to do things differently with a windfall tax on oil giants to slash energy bills and bring companies into public ownership.

Jon Ashworth Lab

Delyn

Mr Ashworth highlights that according to predictions by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, over 250,000 households will face destitution next year. He points out that pay is being outpaced by inflation, with real wages falling for workers while top earners see increases. Employment figures reveal that job market inequalities are widening, with more than 1.5 million people leaving the labour market post-pandemic, and 2 million pensioners in poverty. Food insecurity is also on the rise, with over 2 million adults skipping meals due to financial constraints.

Mike Wood Con

Kingswinford and South Staffordshire

Mr Mike Wood interjected to ask for an opportunity to respond but no detailed contribution was provided in the given transcript.

Therese Coffey Con

Suffolk Coastal

In conclusion of the debate on the Queen's Speech, Ms. Coffey emphasised the Government’s focus on delivering safer streets, stronger schools, energy security, and social support for those in need. She highlighted the global economic challenges but also noted Britain's strong recovery from the pandemic with record employment levels and low unemployment rates. She mentioned specific measures such as £22 billion committed to supporting families facing financial hardship due to inflation and increased energy prices. Ms. Coffey reiterated the Government’s commitment to growing the economy, improving living standards through job creation and skills development, and emphasised the success of universal credit in helping people stay employed despite welfare reforms. She also addressed concerns about food bank usage and in-work poverty by highlighting government initiatives aimed at reducing barriers to employment for disabled workers and those on low incomes.

David Linden Lab

Glasgow East

Mr. Linden questioned the Secretary of State, Therese Coffey, about the increase in food bank usage due to in-work poverty in his constituency, challenging the effectiveness of current employment and welfare policies.

Alan Brown SNP

Central Ayrshire

Mr. Brown asked for clarity on how much money the Treasury allocates towards the warm home discount scheme as part of its efforts to support households with increased energy costs.

Stephen Timms Lab

East Ham

Mr. Timms questioned Ms. Coffey regarding the latest labour market statistics, specifically noting that there are now half a million fewer people in employment than before the pandemic despite official claims of economic recovery and job creation.

Christopher Chope Con

Christchurch

Mr. Chope raised an issue regarding the staffing and efficiency of the Passport Office service set up at Portcullis House for MPs and their staff, noting long queues and delays in processing urgent passport applications.

Eleanor Laing Con

Expressed concern about delays in passport processing and acknowledged the difficulty faced by constituents who are waiting for their passports to be processed. She stated that Mr Speaker would be concerned if undertakings were not followed up, but as it is not a matter for the Chair, she hopes the Government will take action soon.

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Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases

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