Cost of Living 2024-02-06
2024-02-06
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP inquired about the steps taken by the Department to assist households facing financial difficulties.
What steps his Department is taking to support households with the cost of living.
The Government stand by households, with one of Europe's largest support packages, worth on average £3,700 per UK household. The key to reducing cost of living pressures is to bring down inflation, which we have more than halved, delivering on the Prime Minister's promise.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify concrete steps or funding measures beyond general support package and inflation reduction efforts.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP challenged the government's record, citing increased household costs despite promises to address inflation.
Families in Luton and Bedfordshire, and indeed the rest of the country, are worse off because of 14 years of economic chaos and incompetence under the Conservatives. Does the Minister concede that, even if the Government's inflation target is met, families will still be paying £300 a month more for their household bills than they were just 18 months ago?
Fourteen years of the Conservatives has halved unemployment and increased employment by 4 million. Crucially, poverty is down: we have 1.7 million fewer people in poverty now than in 2010, including 400,000 children and 200,000 pensioners.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address the increased financial burden on families mentioned by the questioner.
Changed Subject To Economic Improvements
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP referenced a report on child poverty rates and asked for the government's commitment to tackle this issue.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation's report on poverty in the UK in 2024 reiterates that, consistently, the demographic with the highest poverty rates is children. Although 29% of the children in my constituency live in poverty, the Scottish Government are doing what they can with their limited powers via the Scottish child payment. Will the Chancellor and his team use their powers to make a concerted and determined effort to tackle the scourge of poverty, which is so damaging to our children?
I reiterate: we have 400,000 fewer children in poverty now than in 2010. In addition, the national insurance contributions cut that we have introduced has been shown to cut child poverty dramatically.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific commitment or timeline for further efforts beyond current measures.
Emphasized Past Achievements Without New Commitments
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP challenged the government's stance on council tax, referencing a Conservative MP who criticized recent increases.
The British public are still struggling with the Conservative cost of living crisis, and the Government are now forcing up council tax. Last week, for the first time in my life, a Conservative MP spoke for me when he said: “There's almost no point chopping £100 off tax bills nationally if you're adding on to it with council tax.” Labour Members agree with the hon. Member for Mansfield (Ben Bradley). Does the Chief Secretary agree with her hon. Friend and colleague?
Council tax is a matter for councils, but we put in place a limit, which I do not believe existed under the previous Labour Government. More than that, the most difficult thing for councils and consumers more broadly is the £28 billion-worth of tax rises that Labour is planning in government.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address whether increasing council tax contradicts efforts to alleviate cost of living pressures.
Changed Subject To Planned Labour Tax Increases
Response accuracy