Living Standards 2024-10-29
2024-10-29
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows a discussion on UK living standards. The MP notes the significant impact of low living standards in her constituency.
I am concerned about improving living standards in East Thanet, particularly given that if real household disposable income had grown as it did between 1997 and 2010, it would have been over £4,000 higher in 2023. What steps does she plan to take to help improve living standards?
We are committed to boosting economic growth to turn around the situation where real household disposable income is over £4,000 lower than it would have been. We delivered our first international investment summit announcing over £60 billion of investment and unlocking nearly 38,000 jobs in the UK.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific measures to boost household disposable income were not detailed
We Are Committed
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about the living standard decline under the previous government in his constituency.
In Hexham, Prudhoe and Throckley, people saw hardly any improvements to their incomes for over 14 years. Surely tomorrow's Budget must reset economic foundations. What steps will the Government take?
Tomorrow's Budget is an opportunity to fix the worst-ever recorded living standards and start delivering for families in Hexham and all around the country.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific measures were not detailed, only a commitment
We Are Committed
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlights the growing wealth gap in her constituency, where the bottom 50% own less than 5%, while the top 10% hold 57%. Many struggle with energy prices.
In St Helens South and Whiston, the bottom 50% of the population owns less than 5% of wealth. With many struggling with costs like energy prices, what steps are being taken to ensure a closing of this gap?
We have announced the child poverty taskforce working on a comprehensive strategy to tackle child poverty, published in spring next year. We extended the household support fund with £500 million until March 2024 to help vulnerable households.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific actions to reduce wealth gap were not detailed
We Have Announced
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP points to the rising food bank usage in her constituency, up by 77% over five years. The number of children living in poverty is also on the rise.
In Bathgate and Linlithgow, the number of food parcels distributed has risen by 77% since the last Conservative government. What steps are being taken to reduce the need for food banks in light of child poverty?
We made a manifesto commitment to update the remit of the Low Pay Commission so that it takes into account the cost of living when making recommendations about the minimum wage.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific measures to reduce food bank usage were not detailed
We Made A Commitment
Response accuracy
Q5
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP highlights the economic challenges of coastal areas, where low pay is prevalent.
Coastal communities such as East Thanet struggle with a low-pay, low-skill economy. Does she acknowledge the importance of the minimum wage in tackling this issue?
We will ensure that the Low Pay Commission takes into account the cost of living, and we will close the gap between the youth rate of minimum wage and the overall rate.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about the impact of cutting winter fuel allowances for pensioners on their living standards.
A 90-year-old pensioner in West Worcestershire with a £13,500 income is struggling this winter due to the loss of the winter fuel allowance. Will she increase the threshold?
We inherited a £22 billion black hole in public finances, necessitating difficult decisions; however, we protected the winter fuel payment for vulnerable pensioners on pension credit and boosted uptake of pension credit.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific action to increase threshold was not mentioned
We Inherited A Black Hole
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP inquires about the possibility of using tax revenue to reinstate winter fuel allowances for pensioners until a better system is implemented.
£1.5 billion was received from Octopus Energy as windfall tax. Would she consider using this money to reinstate the winter fuel allowance for one year?
£1.5 billion was already budgeted; we have a £22 billion black hole necessitating tough choices, but we protected winter fuel payments for vulnerable pensioners on pension credit and increased uptake of pension credit.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific use of windfall tax not detailed
We Inherited A Black Hole
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP brings attention to the severe consequences of winter fuel allowance cuts on pensioners in his constituency.
Residents gathered recently to discuss the devastating effects of reduced winter fuel payments. Tomorrow, will she do the right thing?
We inherited a £22 billion black hole in public finances necessitating tough decisions; however, we protected winter fuel payments for vulnerable pensioners on pension credit.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific actions to address concerns not detailed
We Inherited A Black Hole
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlighted the failure to deliver a promised £300 cut in energy bills, the scrapping of winter fuel payments for pensioners, and the lifting of the bus price cap for working people. These actions have raised concerns about improving living standards under the current government.
With the promised £300 cut in energy bills not materialising, the winter fuel payment scrapped for pensioners, and now the bus cap lifted for working people—whatever definition of that term the Chancellor is using today—can she honestly say that living standards will improve for everybody under this Government?
On the bus price cap specifically, the hon. Member will know that the previous Government put no money in to extend that cap. We have put money in to ensure that the bus price cap remains at an affordable level for people, unlike the previous Government, who just had short-term gimmicks.
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Assessment & feedback
The question about living standards improvements and energy bills was not directly addressed; focus on the bus price cap instead.
Changing Subject To Bus Price Cap
Response accuracy