Topical Questions

Answer from Rachel Reeves

Tomorrow I will present my first Budget. It will be a Budget that fixes the foundations of our economy and delivers on the promise of change. It will turn the page on low growth and will be the start of a new chapter towards making Britain better off. It will mean more pounds in people's pockets, an NHS that is there when they need it, and businesses creating wealth and opportunity for all.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

My hon. Friend makes a really important point, which I think is familiar to all of us in our communities, about the cost of housing outstretching people's incomes. In our manifesto we committed to building 1.5 million new homes, including social housing, which is so important and can give security to people who would otherwise be left in insecure housing in the private rented sector.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

The right hon. Gentleman knows better than almost anyone else that there a was £22 billion black hole in the public finances. That will require difficult decisions, but even in those circumstances we will do everything in our power to protect the incomes of ordinary working people, so we are committed to ensuring that no working people will see higher taxes in their payslips after the Budget.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

I have always respected the right hon. Gentleman, but I think it is important for us not to deny the seriousness of the situation that we face with the black hole in the public finances. Combined with the lashing out at independent economic institutions, it suggests that he has more in common with Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng than perhaps we thought. I watched my party lurch towards an ideological extreme and deny reality, and we spent years in opposition as a result. The shadow Chancellor risks taking his party down the same path.

Answer from James Murray

I know that Newcastle-under-Lyme and, indeed, the whole county of Staffordshire have a proud brewing tradition, and my hon. Friend will be an excellent champion of breweries in his constituency. Supporting pubs and breweries is very important for me as a Minister. Indeed, on my first day in the Treasury's Darlington economic campus, I visited Durham brewery—it was a work visit—where I heard from the Society of Independent Brewers and associates about the huge contribution that breweries make to British society. Further details will be set out by the Chancellor tomorrow.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I went to school in the '80s and '90s, and I was taught in portacabins because there was not enough room in my school. I know how important it is that children are taught in proper facilities. We will set out more details of our capital investments at the Budget tomorrow.

Answer from Darren Jones

My hon. Friend is right to point out the opportunities for improvement. As the Chancellor set out in her July statement, prevention will be at the heart of this Government's new approach to public service reform. That will be set out in the spending review in the coming months.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

Building the homes that our country needs is a top priority for this Government. In our manifesto, we committed to build 1.5 million homes in this Parliament, including social housing, so that people have access to secure and affordable accommodation and that every family have a roof over their heads. We will set out more details on all of this in the Budget tomorrow.

Answer from Darren Jones

The Government recognise significant pressures that all councils are facing. We are looking at consolidating funding streams for local authorities into the local government finance settlement, and we will work towards implementing our commitment to a multi-year financial settlement.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. This is an issue that resonates right across the House, with so many of us hearing terrible stories at our surgeries about the lack of support for some of the most vulnerable children in society. We will set out more detail on departmental settlements in the Budget tomorrow.

Answer from James Murray

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. He is absolutely right to say that pubs make an enormous contribution to our society and economy. The current alcohol duty system supports pubs through draught relief, which ensures eligible products served on draught are charged less duty. The Government are committed to delivering a fairer business rates system for high streets, including hospitality.

Answer from Emma Reynolds

We are not hiding the figures. If I had had the chance, I would have said that 455,000 pensioners are paying the higher rate of tax and that 39,300 are paying the additional rate.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the disastrous impacts of the Conservative mini-Budget just over two years ago, which is still having an impact on people's lives as they pay higher mortgage bills. This Government have committed to return sustainability to the economy and to working with business to reform our planning system, our pensions system and our skills system.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

The previous Government factored into their forecasts an increase in fuel duty this year.

Answer from Emma Reynolds

The Chancellor launched the landmark pensions review in July, which I am leading. It is looking at measures to drive more UK pension investment into the UK economy, boosting growth but also improving pension savers' outcomes.

Answer from Emma Reynolds

The hon. Gentleman is urging me to comment on the Budget, but he will have to wait until tomorrow.

Answer from James Murray

My hon. Friend will have to wait for the Budget tomorrow, but he will know that we have committed to closing some loopholes, including VAT on private schools, the non-dom loophole and cracking down on tax avoidance.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

Our commitment is to build 1.5 million homes, including social housing in rural areas, and to improve digital connectivity with more details on infrastructure investment to be announced in the Budget tomorrow.

Answer from Tulip Siddiq

Proposed regulations aim to drive high standards of conduct among firms offering 'buy now, pay later' services, ensuring affordability checks and strong consumer protections are in place.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

We are committed to reducing people's energy bills by investing in home-grown energy and better insulating homes, but no specific timescale was provided beyond stating that more detail would come in the Budget.

Answer from Darren Jones

This Government's commitment is to deliver 1.5 million new homes, but no specific mention was made about examining HRA debt allocations as requested.

Answer from Rachel Reeves

Details of our tax policy will be set out in the Budget tomorrow; however, we have committed to not increasing taxes for working people on their income or national insurance contributions.