Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Living Standards

Tuesday 3 September 2024 · 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 1 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government will introduce a fiscal lock in the Budget Responsibility Bill to prevent future economic disasters.
  • Government is undertaking a campaign to increase pension credit take-up, including TV ads and direct mailings.
  • Government is providing 500 million to extend the household support fund in England for another six months.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rachel Taylor Lab North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Economy
Context

The MP raised concerns about the impact of rising mortgage costs on families in her constituency following economic instability.

Question

What steps she plans to take to help improve living standards. In North Warwickshire and Bedworth, monthly mortgage costs rose by an average of 22% in the year following the previous Government's disastrous mini-Budget, making life really difficult for hard-working families.

Answer from James Murray

Our new Government will hardwire Budget responsibility into Government with our new fiscal lock in the Budget Responsibility Bill, which will make sure that the disaster we saw nearly two years ago can never happen again. We are also taking action to fix Britain's economic foundations with a new approach to growth.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific steps being taken by the Chancellor.

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Q2 Chris Webb Lab Blackpool South
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP highlighted that thousands of pensioners in his constituency miss out on £3,900 annually due to means-testing for winter fuel allowance linked to pension credit eligibility.

Question

Many Blackpool South constituents do not receive pension credit and are potentially missing out on £3,900 a year. What steps the Government is taking to ensure all pensioners in my constituency and across the country receive what they are entitled to?

Answer from James Murray

The Government are undertaking a new campaign to drive take-up, including a week of action in September, TV ads, and direct mailings to up to 120,000 eligible pensioners.

Answered
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Q3 Dan Tomlinson Lab Chipping Barnet
Economy Housing
Context

The MP noted that mortgage costs rose by £500 a month for families in his constituency following the previous Government's actions.

Question

Monthly mortgage costs rose by an average of 22% in Chipping Barnet. What steps is the Chancellor taking to bring down those rates so that families can get the living standards boost they need?

Answer from James Murray

The Government will set out difficult decisions needed to secure public finances in the Budget on 30 October, aiming for sustainable economic stability and growth with a focus on reform and investment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific measures for reducing mortgage rates.

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Q4 Rachel Taylor Lab North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Economy Housing
Context

The MP highlighted the impact of rising monthly mortgage costs by an average of 22% in her constituency following the previous Government's actions.

Question

Monthly mortgage costs rose by an average of 22% for families in North Warwickshire and Bedworth. What steps is the Chancellor taking to ensure such a situation cannot happen again?

Answer from James Murray

Our new Government will hardwire Budget responsibility into Government with our new fiscal lock in the Budget Responsibility Bill, which will make sure that the disaster we saw nearly two years ago can never happen again.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific measures to prevent future economic instability affecting mortgages.

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Q5 Harriett Baldwin Con West Worcestershire
Economy Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP questioned the Chancellor's spending priorities, noting that pensioners will face a significant increase in energy bills without winter fuel allowance.

Question

Is it not the case that this Chancellor has made the chilling political choice to balance the books of this country on the very frailest shoulders by setting up Great British Energy and a national wealth fund, and by giving in to pay demands?

Answer from James Murray

The Government are providing essential investments for our country's future. We also need to ensure that all eligible pensioners take up pension credit, which includes the winter fuel payment.

Not addressed: The answer did not address the spending priorities questioned by the MP.

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Q6 Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem North East Fife
Economy Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP highlighted that half of people on universal credit run out of money before the end of the month, unable to afford food.

Question

What prospect do those people have of an increase in their living standards? The reintroduction of the household support fund is welcome but what steps is the Treasury taking to make sure that people do not go hungry this winter?

Answer from James Murray

The Government are providing £500 million to extend the household support fund in England for another six months. In the longer term, we aim to increase living standards and tackle the cost of living crisis by getting the economy growing through measures like planning reform, the national wealth fund, and Great British Energy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific measures for ensuring people do not go hungry this winter.

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Q7 Kirsty Blackman SNP Aberdeen North
Economy Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from concerns about the impact of means-testing on pensioners' living standards. It contrasts the Chancellor's fiscal rules with statutory constraints faced by the Scottish Government.

Question

Means-testing the winter fuel payment increases the burden on many vulnerable people and reduces their living standards. Unlike the Scottish Government, who have many statutory constraints on their budgets, the Chancellor's fiscal rules are entirely self-imposed. Does the Minister think that sticking to the Chancellor's fiscal rules is more important than the health and wellbeing of pensioners?

Answer from James Murray

Let me be clear: if we do not have fiscal responsibility—if we do not stick to fiscal rules—we will lack the economic stability that is so crucial to getting the economy growing and ensuring that people across Britain are better off. We must return stability and fiscal responsibility to our country following the Conservative Government's record. We saw what happened when they lost control of the public finances and made unfunded spending commitments. We need to ensure that that never happens again, which is why we are hardwiring fiscal responsibility into the future of government through our new Budget Responsibility Bill.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifically avoided addressing whether sticking to the Chancellor's fiscal rules is more important than ensuring the health and wellbeing of pensioners.

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