Topical Questions

Question

If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities regarding the impact of current economic policies and support measures for families dealing with higher mortgage payments due to rising interest rates.

Question

Despite being the gateway to most financial services in the City, I suggest that the London stock exchange is ailing, with CRH and Arm being the latest canaries in the coalmine. While welcoming the Edinburgh reforms, what further consideration has the Chancellor given to my suggestion that tax incentives be introduced to encourage our British pension funds—the big beasts—to invest more in UK equities, given that, since the financial crisis of 2008-09, they have reduced their exposure to equities by 90%, unlike in most other developed economies?

Question

While the Government squabble over parties and peerages, mortgage products are being withdrawn and replaced by mortgages with much higher interest rates. This is a consequence of last year's Conservative mini-Budget and 13 years of economic failure, with inflation higher here than in similar countries. Average mortgage payments will be going up by a crippling £2,900 this year, so where does the Chancellor think families will get the money to pay the Tory mortgage penalty?

Question

Is the Chancellor for real? These are the real-life consequences of what is happening under the Conservative Government today, so do not try to pass the buck. Let me bring this home. In Selby and Ainsty, 12,000 households will be paying, on average, £2,700 more on their mortgage. In Uxbridge and South Ruislip, 10,000 households will be paying, on average, £5,200 more. Each and every family know who is responsible for trashing the economy: the Conservative party. Will the Chancellor apologise for the harm that his Government have caused with the Tory mortgage penalty?

Question

As the Minister knows, having a strong insurance and financial services sector is vital to the growth of our economy, which is one of the Prime Minister's pledges. So will the Minister confirm that he is doing everything in his power to make that happen, particularly with a view to our international competitiveness in those key sectors?

Question

I recently met the Minister for Schools to present him with a costed proposal for piloting universal free school meals in Liverpool. He said that he was not ideologically opposed to that but all roads lead to the Treasury, so here we are. Will the Chancellor work with me and that Minister to enable this pilot, which would transform the education, health and wellbeing of thousands of children across my great city?

Question

I welcome my right hon .Friend's commitment to making inflation and the cost of living his top priority, as it is also a top priority of my constituents. Does he agree that the Institute for Fiscal Studies is entirely correct to say that Labour's plans for £28 billion of borrowing in its green prosperity plan would simply lead to higher rates of interest and higher inflation?

Question

Real-terms wages are lower now than they were in 2008, which is a disgrace. The north-east has been hit harder than other regions, worst of all on child poverty. The rates of child poverty have shot up, with the result that we have 67% of children in working families living in poverty. Is the Chancellor's deliberate, brutal policy of wage suppression working? If so, who for?

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I am concerned about whether there is further action to reduce inflation. Are we on track to halve it by the end of this year?

Question

How can the Chancellor understand homeowners when he failed to declare £3.5 million investment in Southampton property in 2018? Is this an indication that he and his team are not aligned with homeowner issues?

Question

With the loss of all but one bank branch, will the Minister support efforts to establish a community banking hub in Leigh-on-Sea?

Question

Will the Chancellor engage with DEFRA and devolved Administrations about budget availability? Will he meet to discuss this with me and NFUS?

Question

Following interventions and discussions with LINK, Bramhall was chosen as the 100th banking hub. Will interim bridging options be considered until it opens?

Question

With two thirds of people owning homes and many finding landlords are selling their properties, will the Government look closely at protecting those in need?

Question

What is the Chancellor doing to ensure we seize this opportunity for leadership?

Question

What is the cost of the government's net zero policies to consumers? Are they picking their pockets dry?

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Can my hon. Friend update the House as to when we will see spades in the ground on the Brunswick site in Darlington for the Darlington economic campus?

Question

Ever-increasing food prices mean that some families are having to cut down on the amount they eat. Will the Minister support Labour's plan to negotiate a new veterinary agreement for agriculture products to reduce the cost for food producers and bring down those crippling food prices?

Question

Clear policy direction and a strong regulatory framework have led to the UK being the world's leading centre in financial technology. Does my hon. Friend agree that the crypto industry offers the same opportunity for the UK to exploit?

Question

In 2016, Exercise Cygnus tested the country's preparedness for a pandemic. Was the Government's response at that time adequate, and what can the Chancellor do in his current role to make sure that we are properly prepared in the future?

Question

The Government's business rates review last autumn was anything but fundamental, because it did not even look at the calculations for fair and maintainable trade, which are hammering the viability of pubs in St Albans. If the Chancellor has in fact abandoned his commitment for a fundamental review of business rates, which he himself called for last summer, will he at least look at the calculations for fair and maintainable trade before any more of our valuable pubs have to close?

Question

The Chancellor was shaking his head during my question earlier on, so will he say whether he accepts the findings from the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics that shows that Brexit is responsible for a third of UK price inflation since 2019? Regulatory sanitary checks and other border checks added almost £7 billion to total domestic grocery bills over the period from December 2019 to March 2023. Does he accept that?