Cost of Living

Answer from David Davies

The UK Government recognises the challenges from cost of living pressures and have committed to the triple lock on pensions, increased the living wage benefiting 140,000 people in Wales, and put an average £701 back into the pocket of a typical worker in Wales through national insurance cuts.

Answer from David Davies

Many supermarkets support local food banks, and UK Government extra payments to pensioners, those on benefits and disability. However, questions about cost of living pressures should be directed at Welsh Labour for supporting a plan to create dozens of extra Senedd Members costing £120 million.

Answer from David Davies

The UK Government have made extra payments to pensioners and those on benefits, increased pensions and minimum wage with inflation. Also delivered five towns funds, four growth deals, three rounds of levelling-up funding, two investment zones, two freeports, an electric arc furnace in south Wales and an electrified rail line in north Wales.

Answer from David Davies

Brexit was voted for by a majority in Wales and UK, and since then the UK has grown faster than France and Germany. Other measures like Scottish embassies, ferries, raising taxes, shutting down oil and gas industry are unlikely to help with cost of living pressures.

Answer from David Davies

My hon. Friend raises a very interesting point about the loan given by Development Bank Wales being used for political donations, but it is not a question for me; instead, my opposition should answer it as they have been silent on this matter.

Answer from David Davies

My right hon. Friend is correct; UK Government ensured money was passed for discount but Welsh Labour decided to spend it elsewhere, resulting in pubs paying thousands more in Wales than across border in England.

Answer from David Davies

We want to keep the triple lock on pensions, ensure growth in economy by ending double taxation through national insurance. We will make cuts only when affordable and do not believe in unfunded promises for votes.

Answer from David Davies

I can absolutely assure the right hon. Lady that this Government, and the Conservative party, are completely committed to integrity—Labour Members are laughing, but their own First Minister took £200,000 from a convicted criminal—one who had received £400,000 from a bank for which the First Minister is responsible—and told the covid committee that all the messages on his phone had been accidentally deleted by the IT department, but now we see a screenshot in which he urges people to delete their messages so that they cannot be subject to a freedom of information request. I say that the right hon. Lady makes a very good point: let us collapse the coalition and stop supporting the Welsh Labour Government.

Answer from David Davies

I will not sit here and start making policy on the hoof, but I say to the right hon. Lady—and I think she would agree—that I would not have taken hundreds of thousands of pounds in donations from somebody who had been convicted twice of environmental offences.