Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Cost of Living Increases

Wednesday 7 September 2022 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 6 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government have taken decisive action to help tackle cost of living increases, including support for vulnerable households in Northern Ireland with a 1,000 package.
  • Northern Ireland faces significant challenges and the new Secretary of State is committed to engaging constructively with all parties there.
  • The protocol's interpretation and application is acknowledged as an inhibitor to restoring a functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Geraint Davies Lab
Economy Northern Ireland
Context

The cost of living crisis is affecting Northern Ireland and other regions. The question seeks specific actions the government is taking to address this issue.

Question

What steps the Government are taking to help tackle increases in the cost of living in Northern Ireland?

Answer from Conor Burns

The Government have taken decisive action to help tackle increases in the cost of living across the entirety of the United Kingdom, including support for the most vulnerable households in Northern Ireland, who will receive up to £1,000, including a one-off £650 cost of living payment. Yesterday, our new Prime Minister, whom we warmly welcome to office, made it clear that the Government will announce further action later this week.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify what further action would be announced and did not provide detailed measures for tackling cost of living in Northern Ireland beyond £650 payment.

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Q2 Beth Winter
Employment Northern Ireland Local Government
Context

Public sector workers, including those in health and local authorities in Northern Ireland, are balloting over poor pay awards due to inflation. The question addresses the need for a government response.

Question

The Conservatives' low-pay agenda means that public sector pay awards are insufficient, and are pushing millions of people into poverty. Health and local authority workers in Northern Ireland are balloting over poor pay awards, as is happening in Wales. Will this new Conservative Government end their predecessors' low-pay agenda and provide the two nations with the required funding to provide an inflation-proof pay rise, which people need and deserve?

Answer from Conor Burns

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her question, and I preface my answer by saying that I welcome the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my friend, to his position. I know that he will engage constructively with everyone and with all political parties in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has received the largest block grant since devolution in 1998, and as my right hon. Friend the new Prime Minister has made clear, we stand ready to make further announcements later this week.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address the specific request for ending low-pay agenda or providing required funding for inflation-proof pay rises.

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Q3 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Economy Children & Families
Context

A quarter of all children in Northern Ireland are living in significant poverty, and this is expected to worsen due to the cost of living crisis. The question highlights a failure by the government to protect children from economic hardships.

Question

A quarter of all children in Northern Ireland are living in significant poverty—the same proportion as in my constituency in York—but that is about to get worse. It is an indictment of this Government that they have failed to protect children from the cost of living crisis and have failed to invest in their future. What fiscal steps is the Minister calling for from the new Chancellor so that every child can have a warm meal in their stomach each day and a warm home to live in?

Answer from Conor Burns

The hon. Lady is right to highlight the extent of the challenge, but as she is incredibly fair-minded I know that she will acknowledge that Northern Ireland has significant challenges that go back many generations. If we could get Northern Ireland to the average UK level of productivity, it would be worth some £16 billion to the Exchequer.

Not addressed: Did not address the specific request for fiscal steps or measures to protect children from poverty and ensure basic necessities are met.

How: Talked About Economic Challenges That Northern Ireland Faces But Did Not Provide Fiscal Steps As Requested.

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Q4 Geraint Davies Lab
Economy Northern Ireland
Context

There is allocated funding of £400 million for Northern Ireland which has not been spent because Stormont is not sitting. The question addresses why the UK Government does not spend this money directly.

Question

Northern Ireland is poorer, it is less well, it is more dependent on public sector pay and it is going to be hit much harder by the cost of living crisis, so why do the UK Government not spend the £400 million that has been allocated but is not being spent because Stormont is not sitting directly on the people who need it most, rather than being preoccupied with cutting Northern Ireland off from the single market, which will make things even worse?

Answer from Conor Burns

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to highlight the scale of the challenge. My right hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi), when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, came to Northern Ireland to meet the Communities Minister and the Economy Minister to seek ways that the UK Government could get help directly to people who need it so desperately in Northern Ireland.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a direct explanation for why £400 million is not being spent and did not address potential issues with spending this money due to single market concerns.

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Q5 Simon Hoare Con North Dorset
Northern Ireland
Context

The absence of a functioning Executive at Stormont is exacerbating the cost of living crisis. Protocol issues are being seen as an inhibitor to the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Question

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State will know that the cost of living will continue to be exacerbated by the absence of Stormont and a functioning Executive. Protocol issues are being prayed in aid as an inhibitor to the restoration of Stormont. He has worked his socks off over the summer to try to bring things to a helpful and meaningful conclusion. Is he in a position to update the House on the progress he has made?

Answer from Conor Burns

The Chairman of the Select Committee asks about an incredibly important point. Getting a restored devolved Government in Northern Ireland will help enormously in delivering for the people of Northern Ireland. We absolutely acknowledge that the protocol—its interpretation and application—is the impediment to the Democratic Unionist party going back into government, and we will fix that.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific update on progress made towards resolving protocol issues that inhibit restoration of Stormont.

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Q6 Julian Smith Con Skipton and Ripon
Northern Ireland Energy
Context

The question arises from Northern Ireland's unique energy situation, including reliance on heating oil, distinct regulations, many small businesses, and low disposable incomes.

Question

I welcome the new Secretary of State. I hope he has had time to savour those moments of ecstatic relief upon realising, as a former Chief Whip, that he no longer has responsibility for the Tory parliamentary party. Northern Ireland has unique energy needs: a reliance on heating oil, different regulation, a preponderance of small businesses and very low disposable incomes. Will the Minister confirm that in tomorrow's energy announcement, Northern Ireland will hear not only what will happen to it but when payments will start to be made?

Answer from Conor Burns

I thank my right hon. Friend for that question and I say to him that he is held in deep affection across Northern Ireland. He is right to identify Northern Ireland's unique energy challenges, which I have seen and heard about myself on visits in recent weeks. I know that the new Prime Minister will be hearing those messages too and will want to update the House as soon as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm if Northern Ireland will hear specific details or timelines for payments tomorrow

How: I Know That The New Prime Minister Will Be Hearing Those Messages Too And Will Want To Update The House As Soon As Possible

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Q7 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
Northern Ireland Energy
Context

Ofgem does not exist in Northern Ireland, there is no price cap on energy due to reliance on heating oil leading to increased costs; and the lack of a functioning Executive has prevented the £400 support payment.

Question

Yesterday, the Resolution Foundation told the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that there had been a disgraceful lack of discussion about the cost of living crisis in Northern Ireland. Ofgem does not exist there, so there is no price cap on energy; 68% of homes are fuelled by oil, so costs went up in February; and a non-functioning Executive means that there is no £400 support payment. Can the Minister tell us why the Government have allowed the people of Northern Ireland to suffer for longer, and how he intends to right that wrong?

Answer from Conor Burns

I have to say that that would have been an absolutely brilliant question, if the hon. Lady had not listened to any of the answers we have given so far. I have pointed out that the former Chancellor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon, was there talking to the Economy and Communities Ministers. We are working with every effort to try to get help directly to the people of Northern Ireland. I have explained what we are doing in terms of the underlying economic challenges in Northern Ireland.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide concrete steps to rectify the situation or why the delay occurred

How: We Are Working With Every Effort To Try To Get Help Directly To The People Of Northern Ireland

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