Live Treasury Questions House of Commons

the Chancellor of picture Philip

Hammond and his ministerial team. --

the Chancellor of the Exchequer

Philip Hammond.

Order! Order! Question to the

Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr 's

Mika, with permission I would like

Rushton 's one and two. It is right,

Mr Speaker, that more of our money

that is spent locally is raised

locally. In 2010, councils were 80%

dependent on government grants. By

2020, councils will largely be

funded by council tax and other

local revenues.

I thank the Minister

for her answer but local councils

have faced devastating cuts. Between

20 ten and 2020 councils will of had

their direct funding by 79%. In

Tower Hamlets, we have lost... In

budget cuts since 2010. With one of

the Conservative Party's own

councils going bust, can the

Minister now commits finally to

funding locally councils properly so

they can provide vital services to

their communities?

It is right we

rebalance local spending from

central government grants to locally

raised taxes to help keep councils

accountable and what we have seen

his councils up and down the country

finding new and innovative ways of

working, sharing back-office

services, doing things like

installing Wi-Fi, improving waste

collection. But what we have also

seen is Labour councils wasting

money. So, for example, momentum

supported Birmingham City Council

bin strikes, which cost the taxpayer

£40,000 per day.

Order! Order!

Resume your seat, Mr. You answer for

government policy. You do not waste

the time of the House by going into

rants about the policies of other

parties. And if the...

Thank you,

it's the speaker. My own council of

Brighton and Hove has had to make

£52 million worth of cuts in three

years. Despite superb Labour

leadership in the city. With one of

the Minister's own Tory councils

going bust, will the Chancellor

finally commits to properly funding

local government in tomorrow's local

government settlement?

We have... To

enable them to fund spending in

their areas. It is absolutely right

that councils should not waste money

and should find savings. The fact

is, we went through an incredible...

Period through labour and we have

succeeded in reducing that deficit

by three quarters. And can I point

out to the honourable gentleman that

councils have reserves of £23

billion. And in fact of those

reserves have increased by 8 billion

since 2010.

Which would have brought

in additional resource. However,

with the Minister agree with me it

is not just about resource but it is

also about council structures,

leadership and creating efficient

organisations?

My honourable friend

is absolutely right. Lots of

councils have done things better and

more efficiently and in fact have

led the way across government. We

have also given more powers to local

mayors and we are giving mayors

across the country £4.8 billion of

new investment over the next 30

years.

What priority does she

attached to local authorities over

new housing?

It is vitally important

that we see more housing built

across the country and that is why

at budget we committed to 300,000

homes being built per year over the

next decade.

Mr Speaker, with the

Chief Secretary join me in paying

tribute to a council that has made

substantial savings and efficiencies

since 2010 whilst continuing to

provide excellent services.

He's

absolutely right. We have seen the

leadership of numerous Conservative

councils across the who find new and

efficient ways of doing things. And

that is what we need to do as a

government, we need to find better

ways of doing things and more

efficiency, rather than wasting

money and crashing the economy as

happened under the previous Labour

governments.

My own county council

of Derbyshire has seen their

government funding cut by over £200

million. Two thirds of their

spending goes on adult social care.

Does the Minister agree it should be

a postcode lottery as to which

counties can afford the most council

tax as to whether their elderly get

looked after decently?

We have put

additional funding into social care

and we have also allowed councils to

raise a precept. I think it is a

very important principle that local

councils are accountable for the

money they spend to local voters.

And the situation we inherited in

2010 where 80% of the money came

from local government means that we

could have profligate local councils

and local taxpayers would not have

to foot the bill.

This week having

faced the same central government

cuts from everywhere else,

Conservative controlled Kettering

Borough which am a member can expect

to freeze its council tax for the

eighth year in a row. Would it not

appear that other councils are

better at Op... What

under the

previous Labour government council

tax doubled and we are hearing talk

from the benches opposite that if

they were to getting government...

The issue of local authorities and

other public bodies. Will the

Minister commits to lift in the

public sector pay cap and to

properly funding these pay

increases?

I point out that we put

an extra £2 billion worth of

spending power into the hands of the

Scottish Government at the last

budget. We have also said that we

want to be flexible over public

sector pay to make sure we are

retaining and recruiting the best

possible staff.

If you'll forgive

me, Mr Speaker, as we came into the

chamber we heard the news of... Who

coordinated a large number of

all-party groups. I would like to

send out simply to his family. These

ministerial responses demonstrate

absolutely no understanding

whatsoever of the crisis of cuts

over the last eight years and the

impact on local government. Local

councils are now facing a funding

gap of nearly £6 billion by 2020 and

it is the most vulnerable that are

suffering. The number of children

taken into care is at its highest

level since 1985. One in three of

councils are warning the cuts have

left them with insufficient

resources to support these children.

The leader of the Chancellor's own

Surrey council said, and I quote,

the government cannot stand by idly

when Rome burns. ... Commit today to

use next month's Spring Bateman to

address the funding crisis in our

local councils?

First of all, the

springs statement is not a physical

event and it is vitally important

that we maintain the discipline that

we have achieved over the last eight

years, that we keep control of

public spending because that is what

has led to the strong economy we are

now seeing, record levels of

employment and increasing number of

new businesses starting up. And the

reality is that if the party

opposite where to get into power, we

would see that legacy squandered.

Local government will see a 2.1%

increase in cash terms between 2015

and 2019. And as I pointed out, they

have will have also seen an increase

in local council reserves of £8

billion. Money available to spend

than invest on investor local

services.

With the crisis in

children's services, this is not the

time for political knock-about

responses. I am not sure if the

Chief Secretary has witnessed a

child being taken into care. I have

and it can scar that child for life.

But don't listen to me, listen to

the all-party enquiry into children

social care which won nine out of

ten councils are struggling to meet

their legal duty to children. The

director of children's services says

we cannot go on as we are. It is

reported that over half the councils

in England are planning to cut

children's services further. As

recent estimates say the Chancellor

will have sufficient resources to

protect our children from further

cuts. So I'm asking again, I appeal,

I appeal, once again to the

Chancellor, to use the springs

statement, which he has the flex

ability to do, to address the £2

billion funding gap in our

children's services to protect our

children.

I think it is a bit rich

of the honourable gentleman to

suggest we should not bring politics

into that when it is precisely what

he's doing. What we're doing is

making sure that local councils have

the flexibility to raise council tax

in order to fund those vitally

important public services. But I

think the party opposite has to

acknowledge it's not just the money

we spend but it's the way we spend

it. And the reality is, if the

entire focus is on the level of

spending rather than what we're

I'll sure the oral gentleman knows

this, but just to put this in

context, the vast majority of

current PFI contracts were signed

under the last Labour Government,

86% of all current PFI projects. The

talented office in 2010, this

Government as a reformed the

approach, so they no deliver better

value for money for the taxpayers.

Newry PF2 project will be subjected

to...

I am concerned about the

workers. 90% of contractors have to

disagree bulk and it tended to pay

staff, but only in the interim

period. What about the tempo set

that will not be paid, and what will

happen after the interim period?

While the Government guarantee the

employment status and pay of those

individuals?

I think the gentleman

might be slightly confusing PFI

contracts with outsourcing contracts

that don't involve capital

structures, but the resolution of

Carillion continues. So far there

has been a very high rate of uptake

of a private cloud of Carillion to

continue services that are being

delivered, and we have high hopes of

protecting the vast majority of the

jobs involve.

What is a Government

doing to approve transparency and

public private partnerships?

We

absolutely value transparency. The

added important part of the overall

infrastructure, but as I have

explained to the House just now,

there are currently not PF2 project

in procurement. I think that

indicates that he has said the bar

for value for money and public

private partnership is very high,

and we will continue to do so.

That

is a rather extraordinary state of

affairs. I hope that the honourable

gentleman is not and ASBOs, and if

he is I am sorry, but otherwise

there is absolutely no way he should

be leaving the chamber while the

question is being asked. It is a

discursive day to the House. It is

discussed it to Chancellor.

The

Shadow Chancellor recently wrote to

the Chancellor asking if there was

devised value for money get into and

an updated list of PFI, as existing

data is never two years old, and

details of any assessment the

Government carried out on

Carillion's readiness to carrier

contracts.

We get this? I have not

yet received a letter from the

Shadow Chancellor, but if he has

written to me, I shall of course

replied to him and answer his

questions.

This Government has put

raising our national productivity at

the heart of our mission, from The

National Productivity Investment

Fund, we have are ready and it is

over £50 million in investment in

road and rail and in north-west, and

this is an addition to the

allocations in Manchester are 243

million, and Liverpool, 135 billion.

By my honourable friend agreed that

the £31 billion national

productivity investment targeted at

transport, digital communications,

research and developing and housing

lobbyist the infrastructure of the

UK economy.

The latest to six sure

that we have had the best run of

productivity growth says before the

financial crisis, but we are

certainly not complacent. The

National Productivity Investment

Fund but invest in an Rhodes, our

broadband connections, and

delivering more homes, all of which

are key to raising wages and living

standards are people across the

country.

The problem is that the

fund is not doing anything to solve

the problems on our roads and

motorways, and it is amply not

giving enough money to councils to

make sure your peers are done. --

repairs to motorways and awards are

done. We're having a greater crisis

than we have seen for some time.

I

am afraid I don't agree with the

analysis. The Government has made

record amounts of investment into

our roads, as indeed into error

rail, and that its ads will announce

in the autumn, there is for the

money. £30 billion in total to

improve transport across the north

of England. -- 13 billion.

This

Government has done nothing to

deliver local rail infrastructure in

the north-west, which is vital for

jobs and the economy, so when is the

Government going to invest in a

decent quality services, including

services by my constituents from

Southport to Manchester, because F

they want to do it, they should

stand aside and let us get on with

the job.

The Government has been

investing more in railways across

the country than any Government

since Victorian times, and that

includes in northern England. Across

the country, the Government has been

investing a quarter of the Chilean

pounds and infrastructure projects

is 2010, 4500 of which have already

been completed.

With your

permission, I would like to add to

this question together with question

seven and eight, and as my

honourable friend has just told us,

since 2010 there has been over a

quarter of a Gillian pounds are

public and private investment in

infrastructure. We continue to

invest in infrastructure. In the

autumn budget 2017, by expanding the

national productivity investment

funds that it will not provide £31

billion additional investment,

including more than doubling the

Housing infrastructure fund, to

fibre compounds. The ad has set out

at the budget, Mr Speaker, that our

plans was a public investment

entries to levels not sustained in

40 years.

Through the major roads

network, vehicle excise duty will be

made available for investment for

strategic roads outside the beam at

the highways agency. I understand

that economic growth must be a

priority, but how much will the

pressure of future housing

development be considered in any of

these future schemes, such as in my

constituency in New York, surrounded

by the Northern Renwick, when we

have a lot of housing?

The major

roads network will support the

creation of new housing developments

by improving access to future

development sites and boosting

suitable land capacity, so

investment decisions for this

funding will include considerations

of high proposal schemes will unlock

plans for housing development and

help to improve how transport is

planned for new developments at the

outset, and the ring road that he

refers to is of course part of the

proposed major roads network.

The

Chancellor will not the great

Eastern realign task force which has

made the economic and business case

for rail infrastructure directly to

the Treasury. He will also note that

Draco Anglican teenagers are forking

out a lot of money to the tragedy

under the current franchise. Can the

Chancellor is generally get some of

this money back to invest in a

much-needed improvements that are

commuters are not getting?

My

honourable friend is a great

champion of infrastructure, and I

see how was to create a more

dependable rear wing with entries

focus on punctuality and

reliability, and that is why the

Government is pushing the beggars

feel investment since Victorian

times. Under the Greater Anglia

franchise that is a commitment to

deliver more services, faster

journey times, including two Norwich

with trains each weight from 2019.

And a great Eastern Menai proposal

is currently in an early stage of

development, but we will consider

the case this year has been

followed.

Can the Chancellor update

has on the steps being taken to

ensure the Government's ambitious

plans for housing are supported by

the local infrastructure

investments, such as through housing

infrastructure fund?

My honourable

friend is right to observe that the

conduct build the homes is continued

without infrastructure, and often it

is back from local communities to

the idea of accommodating greater

number of homes is if you're that

infrastructure will not keep it. To

budget 2017 more than doubled the

housing infrastructure fund, taking

it to a total of £5 billion, and in

February the 1st, we announced a by

compounds of investment from that

fund, supporting 133 project that

will unlock infrastructure for up to

200,000 new homes.

It is now two

years and two months since Boxing

Day fact that hit much of Yorkshire,

including my constituency of Leeds

West, took still in Leeds West is no

better protected from floods than it

was on Boxing Day 2015, and the

Government still have not signed off

money for the face to alleviation

scheme. -- phase two alleviation

scheme. Buy more that happen,

because it is ardently needed?

My

constituency also has been affected

by flooding, and some of the

response projects and major

engineering projects which take time

to develop, and of course Defra and

the Environment Agency has funding

for flood relief projects, but these

have to be prioritised, and have to

be worked up into proper business

cases, but I will look at this

preserve the case, and if I may, I

will write to have a busy copy in a

hazmat.

The most important national

infrastructure project is a network

of tidal lagoons for low-carbon

energy. Since Jay-Z apparently

uprooted project as good value for

money, why isn't allowing dinosaurs

in the energy Department to block

it?

I imagine that the honourable

gentleman is offending to the

Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project,

which as he knows, is under

consideration by the Government, and

on an item will be made in due

course.

Contrary to the Treasury's

on assessment, be visibly found that

a sport investment in London is 2.5

times per capita higher than it is

in the north. An knowledge -- in

knowledge, we know companies are

shedding jobs and citing the

transport as a cause. What action

will minister stick to Ederson is an

just imbalance, and how it will be,

to working with the mirrors of

Manchester and Liverpool on the

convention of the north and eyes

this morning?

I just recognise an

agree with the honourable

gentleman's figures. The analysis

shows that actively infrastructure

investment in the north per capita

is higher than in the south-east.

The Chancellor has spoken out in

favour of rebalancing the economy

via a fairer redistribution of tyres

were spending, we did therefore

consider the strategic jazz pipe was

cause for a specific entries and

transport spending across the north

of England?

The Government is

committed to the northern powerhouse

project, and recognises that that

has to be supported through

infrastructure investment. We are

looking at northern powerhouse

infrastructure investment projects

on a case-by-case basis, and will

continue to support the development

of the northern powerhouse.

Question

six, Mr Speaker.

The Government is

undertaking a wide-ranging set of

analysis of the impact of our

departure from the European Union.

This is changing through time as we

develop an approach going forward,

and as we move to a bold and

Scarborough heads of agreement with

the union partners -- all that

comprehensive agreement.

The

Chancellor new in 2016 that the

majority of people with proof that a

soft Brexit a hard-won, and people

like the Foreign Secretary who said

he would have for a single market,

but neither Chancellor knows that it

will cost us £45 billion in lost tax

receipts Didier hard Brexit, while

he at least acknowledge that the

people like me and across the

chamber who support us remaining and

both a customs union and the single

market do it in the name of

prosperity and in the name of

upholding democracy?

The Government

has made its position very clear. We

are leaving the European Union, that

means we are leaving the customs

union and the single market, however

we are determined to negotiate a

deal which will give us fragilis

trade with the EU 27 as possible,

postal aligning herself as a

globally facing mission to go out

and conduct and secure free trade

agreements with other countries

around the world.

Could the

Government minister please confirm

that it will be a Conservative

Government that is and will continue

to be the voice of British business,

and that securing a strong economic

future will be at the heart of the

Brexit negotiations?

I thank my

right honourable friend for that

question. I can of course confirm

that we remain entirely committed to

the strength of our economy, to

supporting businesses up and down

our country, not least in our

negotiations over the European

Union, and in a customs respect to

that, for which I have some aspire

to do with us some responsibility in

making sure that the move as

effectively as possible across the

EU 27 post our departure.

I believe

that the best way forward for

Britain is to negotiate a new

relationship with the European

Union, one based on an economic

partnership involving a customs

union and the single market and

goods and services. Not my words, Mr

Speaker, but the member of

Parliament for North Somerset, the

Secretary of State for International

Development, from his website just

now. Can I ask the Minister, what

representation as he had from the

Secretary of State for International

Development and supportive

membership of the customs union and

the single market?

On the customs union and on trade.

We are taking forward legislation to

make sure that the aspirations that

we have in that respect in terms of

our negotiations with the EU can...

When those deals are concluded.

Yesterday I met a delegation of

business representatives from my

constituency who are optimistic

about our prospects when we leave

the single market and Customs union.

They are currently examining the

concept of Freeport. Will the

Minister agree to meet them when

they have developed their thoughts

further and try and overcome

possible obstacles?

I thank the

honourable member for his question.

Of course, I or indeed the Chief

Secretary to the Treasury will be

happy to meet him and his business

colleagues. We are potentially

interested in Freeport go forward

and we will keep that under review.

Many members of the cabinets have

made their views clear on this

issue. The Chancellor has said that

after we leave the EU he would like

to see no tariffs with Europe and no

hard border with Northern Ireland.

To quote he said he wanted a deal

that would facilitate the freest

deal with the EU and allow us to

forge new relationships around the

world. ... In a speech made

yesterday by the Leader of the

Opposition which to quote the

Chancellor will facilitate the

freest... And allow us to forge new

trade agreements with our partners

are unwell.

Well, I'm clearly here

to speak about government policy.

The zigzag in that we have seen from

members opposite on the position of

the customs union has been quite

extraordinary. And it does seem to

me at first take if I understand

what has been suggested that this

idea that you can be in the customs

union and yet go out and have very

high level of control over doing

deals with other countries, I just

do not think tanks together.

Questioned nine, Mr Speaker. Thank

you, Mr Speaker. My honourable

friend will know that in the budget

might honourable friend the

Chancellor announced an additional

one point. The. Billion we ensure

our position of the Welsh government

that our funding is above that the

rate in England and as a consequence

of those and other measures, Wales

is now one of the fastest-growing

nations within the nations and

regions of the United Kingdom.

Will

he further agree with me that

leaving the UK single market would

leave of far bigger risk to the

economy the lead in the EU single

market?

It is entirely right.

Competitors 12% going into the

European Union. I think those

figures, Mr Speaker, speak for

themselves.

Traditionally Wales has

lower wages than the rest of the

economy. In light of low

productivity and low growth

forecast, what is the government

ensuring that high-quality jobs can

be attracted to the Welsh economy?

We're doing a great deal in terms of

productivity across the country. We

have agreed to city deals within

Wales, £500 million for Cardiff,

more for Swansea. Employment is up

in Wales by 7.3% since 2010 and

unemployment in Wales is down by 39%

since that time.

The question is,

what investment? They have promised

to electrify the main line between

the two cities. They will not commit

to the Swansea Bay lagoon... Welsh

at the same time as subsidising the

most expensive row when the world in

England. When will the government

stop taking Wales were right?

Am

very surprised, Mr Speaker, to hear

the honourable member levelled those

accusations against a government.

I've already explained we have set

aside another 1.2 billion for Wales

in the recent budget, the two city

deals that I have referred to were

also back back in a South Wales

metro and we're big committed to

agree on further growth deals with

North and south Wales.

Version ten,

Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, the cross

Whitehall analysis referred to is

provisional internal analysis, part

of on growing analysis and further

work is in train. This analysis has

been developed as a tool to inform

Ministers on the European Union exit

trade committee and subcommittees

about the choices that must be made

as negotiations progress. Thank you

for that answer. Does the Chancellor

agree with the former international

trade permanent secretary that

giving up the single market and

customs union is like giving up a

three course meal for packet of

crisps in the future? If he does not

agree, can he agree what specific

evidence his department has seen

that future trade agreements will

outweigh the damage of leaving the

single market customs union for

businesses and jobs across the

country but particularly in the

north-east?

It is the government's

intention to maintain the highest

possible access for British

businesses to European Union

markets. And the honourable lady is

right that we should approach this

on an evidence basis. We should look

for the evidence of value of our

trade flows with Europe, what that

is generating UK in terms of jobs

and we should look objectively at

the opportunities that lie with

third country trade deals and the

likely profile of new jobs and new

trade and new opportunities that can

be created and we should weigh those

carefully.

Mr Speaker, leaks from

the Brexit analysis showed that UK

Government's borrowing will rise

dramatically under bricks fit. Can

the Chancellor reassures that he

will cut vital public services to

plug this gap?

As the honourable

lady knows, the analysis she refers

to models standardised off-the-shelf

trade models. The government is

seeking a bespoke deal with the

European Union to deliver a deep

economic partnership, which would

have a completely different set of

outcomes. That remains our

objective.

Mr Speaker, it is for

departments to consider the

equalities impact of their proposals

on workforce strategy and pay. The

important thing is we reward public

servants fairly for the work they

do.

Public sector servants certainly

have not been fairly. Can I return

to the private sector. Is the chief

secretary concerned as I am that

many private-sector firms in their

reporting obligations on the gender

pay gap are excluding partners

income on the basis that they are

not employees. What will government

do to close a loophole?

We have

announced new policies on reporting

the private sector pay gap. The pay

gap has come down under this

government and we are now seeing a

record number of women in work. And

the reason that is is we have taken

the difficult economic decisions to

close the deficit and to make sure

we have allowed the private sector

to flourish.

With inflation at 3%

and government cut council tax and

police budgets forcing up precepts,

why should low paid workers

predominantly who are women have an

increase of only 1% next year after

four years of 1% already?

First of

all I would point out that those on

the lowest pay have seen their real

wages rise by 7% since 2015. The

highest level for some time. And

also, it is the women that we are

seeing more likely to be in work, a

record level of employment and we

have also given additional

flexibility to public services to

make sure they are able to recruit

and retain.

The government is taking

a proactive approach to support

borrowers and to aid people to

manage their money well and help

those in problem debt. We reformed

the regulation giving the FC a

considerable regulatory powers and

we are setting up a new single

financial guidance policy to make it

easier for people to get help with

money matters.

After seven years,

wages are still flowing 2010.

Self-employed people are on average

paid less than they were a

generation ago. Does the Minister

share my alarm that too many people

are having to worry about buying

school uniform, affording a family

holiday or even just paying for

their rent or mortgage?

The

government recognises it's very

important that we focus on the

poorest people in our society, that

is why we have increased the

national living wage by 4.7% which

will mean a pay rise of £600 for

those working full-time. We have

also increased the personal

allowance, frozen the fuel duty and

increased childcare support to

attend to the concerns raised.

As

part of our enquiry into household

finances, the Treasury committee is

looking at the problems facing

financially vulnerable households

and last week I and my committee

colleague visited the citizens

advice bureau in Nottingham. There

they told as the problems caused by

banks and companies but the harshest

of always the government. There is

forbearance for... Over parents. A

live is often the first port of call

rather than a last resort. Is the

Minister concerned by this heavy

handedness and as you not agree that

the local... Should lead...

As part

of the work of the single finance

guidance body, we will be

implementing a breathing space. That

work is... That Bill is going

through committee as you know and I

am determined that we will get this

right, listen to best practice

across the country. We are committed

in our manifesto to a six-week

breathing space and we will look

very carefully at representations

received from across the country.

Citizens advice report on Universal

Credit claimants who are having more

than 40% of their standard allowance

taken from the monthly payment.

There is a 40% cap on repayments to

third parties but it does not appear

to include payments of advanced

budgeting loans and it is living

people and able to look make ends

meet. Will the Minister agreed to

meet with DWP colleagues to ensure

people are not pushed into debt by

the government's own rules?

Of

course I will meet with colleagues

across government. I meeting with

the Minister as we seek to get this

legislation right.

Mr Speaker,

membership of the European Economic

Area would require free member of

people with the rest of the European

Union and the UK Government has been

clear that the free movement of

people cannot continue as it is now.

So we are seeking a bespoke,

comprehensive and ambitious

partnership in the neutral interests

of the UK and the EU.

The

government's own forecast at suggest

that no deal Brexit will cut GDP

growth in the north-west of England.

What steps is he taking to reduce

the impacts of no deal?

As I said

earlier in answer to a previous

question, the figures to which my

honourable friend refers are based

on standardised trade models, not

that its bespoke deal that we are

seeking to achieve. She asked me

what steps I am taking to protect

her constituents's interest. I am

supporting my colleagues in seeking

to strike an ambitious partnership

with the EU that delivers maximum

benefits for the EU and the UK.

What

assessment has the Chancellor made

in particular of the potential

benefits of EUA benefits... UK

economy of the creative industries,

so important for my constituents in

Bristol West?

The creative

industries and one of Britain's a

great success stories and more

broadly our services sector is our

strategic strength in many respects.

We have to ensure that as we

negotiate a future relationship with

the European Union, we protect not

only the marketing goods but the

marketing services where Britain has

such significant comparative

advantage.

By helping all places to

access the benefits of technological

progress and reach their full

potential, we can drive growth at

national level. Sizzled in 2016 the

government has announced an

additional £7 billion for science

and innovation... To total

government are indeed spending by

2021.

Does he agree with me that

digital technology enables further

devolution away from London of

high-tech industries but what is the

government doing to support a?

The

government's are expanding... By

investing 21 million over four years

to help people grow a digital

business and this includes a

large-scale city the demonstrated in

Manchester which demonstrates how

Internet links can improve energy

and health and culture.

In those centres of excellence in

gaydar, health and energy, key

drivers of future economy. And

Saturday, I had a meeting with Sadiq

can wear start-up is identified

attracting investment as a key

barrier to their growth. What is

this Government doing to attract

investment to businesses in

Newcastle, and those that the good

image in a bank has supported by

Labour?

We certainly have a national

bank to encourage investment in

small businesses. We also have the

£400 million digital infrastructure

fund, and as a minister, I am doing

all I can to make sure we find the

best conditions for investing across

the country.

ICI FS have confirmed,

under our plan, public investment

will reach levels not sustained

until the late 1970s by the end of

this Parliament, and we want to see

that investment across United

Kingdom. We are delivering £30

billion of transport investment in

the north, and we will launch a

transport as much as what fun to

kasbah migrate to cities.

Devolution

in the greatest city scatter

Manchester region is beginning to

unlock opportunities for investment

and infrastructure, research and

development and innovation in the

north-west. It will allow facilities

in my constituency to prosper.

There's a minister and agree, that

FBI able to realise the full

potential of our regions, devolution

has to extend further.

I'm delighted

to hear the positive story that the

honourable gentleman is giving that

we have created as a Government. In

the last make, I have met with the

Mayor of Greater Manchester, and we

are committed to working with anyone

who shares our commitment to

economic growth and prosperity in

the north of England.

The Government

is committed to picking up

investment in Scotland and it did

the Chancellor announced an

additional £2 billion at Dinas

budget. We have boosted city deals

are ready by £1 billion, and we have

committed for the city deals in

sterling, the case it is, and the

Borders.

As shown by honourable

friend will share my concern and the

consent of my constituents activity

stats were at a recent systematic

sure that -- showed a decline below

the levels of the UK. Does he not

agree with me that instead of making

Scotland the highest tax part of the

UK, and increasing taxes, he should

be encouraging the Scottish

Government to follow this

Government's lead, encouraging

enterprise and growing UK

productivity if that's what it ties

levels in ten years.

You're

absolutely right to raise the

critical as you are productivity,

and it is of course the

responsibility of both Government

and that respect. On the matter of

tax that you raise, I totally agree,

that it is important to keep tax

down, add to the extent that that

has achieved in Scotland as been to

a last degree the changes we have

made to personal allowance.

Mr Speaker, we have made sure that

local councils have the reliability

to serve local residents by giving

them additional council tax

flexibility.

I thank the Minister

for that answer, but between 2010

and 2020, bit of a cancer will have

had their direct funding cut by 70%.

Can the minister explain how they

are expected to meet the rising

children service and adult social

care demands?

As they died, councils

have been given the ability to

increase council tax levels to pay

for those services, and what is

vitally important is that those

taxes are raised locally so that

local councillors are accountable

for the decisions they make.

Can you

confirm that the Government will now

probably to improve their funding

for local government to replace the

transparent and advert system, and

what you look closely at the

Leicestershire model for dinner.

It

is a good point. Local government

funding has not been fair, and that

is why we have been consulting on

affair from you at the moment,

analyst with interest that has

representations.

With the Minister

give... Number 20, Mr Speaker.

Since

2010, when we had a post-war record

level of deficit of 9.9%, we have

reduced that to 2.2% as of last

year, and a forecast in November

that this deficit bolt for the

decline to 1.1% of GDP by 2022,

2023.

With the Minister give an

estimate of his recent assessment of

his effect that our deficit

reduction measures have taking up on

relieving the tax burden for younger

generations?

My honourable friend

rate is an absolutely critical point

about the borders of getting the

debts down in order to make sure

that future generations do not carry

the burden of that debt, which is

why we have reduced the deficit by

three quarters, it is why we are

going to hit our reduction and the

level of debt to years early in

2020.

The an agenda for Huddersfield

is very eager, and I think we ought

to hear the fellow.

Some people in

the us will not I am not the most

radical member of the pages, but can

I tell the Minister that if we had

been successful in reducing the

budget of this Government, my

constituents in Yorkshire could

forget that, but the fact of the

matter is that we have had the money

for the electrification of the

trans-Pennine relied stolen from us,

and as Chancellor refuses to give it

back. When will he make amends?

As

the honourable member but not, that

we are awaiting the business case

for this project, and when we

receive that, we will accept that

most closely.

Thank you so much, Mr

Speaker.

In summer 2015, the summer

as the CEO of virgin money to bleed

a view to gender diversity. And

response, she lodged the women's

finance Charter, which as pharmacy,

to four.

I thank the Minister for

that excellent answer, and following

the Royal mind's appointment of its

first funeral Chief Executive in its

1001 year history, but the Secretary

of State journey in congratulating

her on her new role?

Yes, I would be

delighted to congratulate Art, and I

wish her all the best in the new

role. If I may, I would also like to

take this opportunity to apply to

congratulate my own constituents who

was elected the first woman

president... I wish the Secretary of

State are the best with that.

LAUGHTER

.

I'm sure he'll be back with some

anxiety.

My principal responsibility

is to ensure economic responsibility

and the continued prosperity of the

British people and I will do so by

building on the plan set out in the

autumn budget. This Government is

determined to meet the important

challenges we face as well as to

seize the opportunities ahead, as we

create an economy fit for the

future. And I balanced approach to

the public finances enables ASBO to

give households and businesses

supporting the near term, and to

invest in the future of this country

while also being fair to the next

generation by reducing the national

debt that remains far too large.

Reducing to raise VAT to 5% after

really the European Union would

create an extra 121,000 jobs and

£4.6 billion in revenue to the

tragedy of a tenuous. It will be a

great boost to our cities and also

our coastal towns. While he commit

to looking at this edgy as we leave

the EU?

My honourable friend is

nothing if not persistent and

consistent. At that can never have

maintained he has raised this issue.

There have been numerous requests

for new VAT believes since the

referendum, some of which is

currently not permitted under EU

law. And have that everywhere to

gather the VAT relief request that

we have received, that has come to

more than £38 billion a year. On VAT

and tourism, the Government has

received representations on this

issue. We are looking again at the

case for change, and we have issued

a call for evidence on the impact of

the 80 on tourism in Northern

Ireland, analyst at the keep this

issue and a careful review.

The

chief secretary gave a speech last

year, far better value for money

from public finances, and are not

spending money we don't have. He

talked about not wasting money. So

how can she justify spending

hundreds of millions of pounds on

for the tax giveaways was £2000 per

child via the tax free childcare

scheme to the wealthiest families

using, for example, private schools.

Isn't that a waste of money? Is that

not spending money we don't have?

I

will point out that the voucher

scheme invented by the previous

Labour Government only benefited

600,000 families, whereas our scheme

is much broader. It benefits 1.5

million people. And... And the skin

of the Labour Government was open to

private schools and private

mercenaries as well.

Last weekend

the chamber, we had an opposition MP

complained that they believe they

should be personally be paying far

more tax. Can the Minister confirm

the mechanism by which anybody can

currently voluntarily do exactly

that?

As a minister of the tragedy,

I would be delighted if the people

voluntarily stepped forward to pay

more tax than they argue, that is, I

am pleased to inform my honourable

friend, about the possible by way of

a gifted to the Crown, and I am

looking at ways to raise awareness

of that particular opportunity. I

would be happy to meet with him to

discuss those options with them. I

would also to all members are very

generous gift aid relief that the

Treasury provides for those to which

to make direct contributions to

charities of their choice.

Four

intent of Enfield's children are

living below the poverty line. But

on a 34 children -- that is almost

34 thousand children. My

constituency is in the top 20

constituencies in the country with

the fastest growing level of child

poverty. If the Chancellor pursuing

any kind of joined up policies with

other relevant departments didn't by

the Prime Minister said and make

Britain a country that works not for

a privileged few but for every one

of us, including those 34,000?

The

Government believes that one of the

most important divers are bringing

people out of poverty is work, and

we are rolling out Universal Credit

as a consequence, with it is ever is

that that is more successful online

and legacy benefits. Since 2010, the

honourable lady will probably know

that 200,000 fewer children are now

in absolute poverty than was the

case in 2010.

What preparations as

the Treasury be making for leaving

the European Union, and by the

tragedy be ready on day one to

adjure frictionless borders when we

leave the European Union, Deal or no

Deal?

The Government is continuing

with data preparations for all

possible March 20 scenarios, and

this includes adjourning the

partners have adequate resources to

prepare for a year at it. To date,

the Treasury has allocated

departments nearly £790 for

preparation activity, and we are

currently in the process of

allocating the 18-19 funding from

the additional funding INS in the

autumn budget.

The health and social

care system has been pushed to its

limit in recent weeks, not my words,

but those of my local hospital

trust, and last month they were

forced to cancel and 9025 operators,

and 640 outpatient appointment. --

325 operations. It also makes it

just's challenge and financial

situation even worse. When will he

get the system be sustainable

funding it needs?

The NHS has been rated the best

health care system in the world but

we do recognise there are extra

demands on the help system which is

why at the budget we put in an extra

£6.3 billion worth of funding.

What

progress has been made in reducing

the level of corporation tax

evasion?

I'm delighted to warm the

House considerable progress has been

made in reducing the level of tax

evasion amongst the corporate

sector. We have been at the

forefront of the initiative's

launched with the... The profit

diversion tax was brought in in 2015

as a consequence we have brought in

£53 billion in by clamping on this

area since 2010.

Members have

already raised the insufficient

funding of local authorities by this

government. The local campaign in

Lewisham prevented children and

adults with mental health services

still lost from central government.

When will the government finally

take this seriously and reversed the

cuts to children's mental health

services?

We are putting additional

funding and support into children's

mental health services and the

Department for Education has

recently announced additional

support for children's mental health

issues in schools.

Could my right

honourable friend tell the House

what assessment the Treasury has

made either separately or jointly of

how external initiatives on

competitiveness and investment might

help the rail sector and Network

Rail in particular?

This is that

question for my right honourable

friend the Transport Secretary is

looking at how to improve the

productivity of the role way of

course. How to ensure that every

pound we invest in the railway

delivers the maximum possible

benefit to railway users and he will

make further announcements in due

course.

Could the Chancellor set out

the benefits or otherwise of the

arrangement the government appears

to have for a customs union between

Camden, Islington and Westminster?

I'm sure, Mr Speaker, when I go home

and reflect on it the meaning that

question will become later me. What

I'll say to the honourable lady is

that if we look at the way goods and

services flow freely between

different parts of our own economy

and indeed between different parts

of the United kingdom we see at once

the huge benefits that it brings

having frictionless borders as we

move our goods and services.

I am

very much in favour gifting but I do

find that when some large charities

say they receive no direct support

from the government but do receive

gift aid that the Exchequer will not

publish those figures. Will the

Chancellor reconsider that?

And the

revenue does not disclose the funds

individual charities receive from

gift aid due to their obligations to

respect taxpayer confidentiality

under the 2005 act. Of course some

large charities do so voluntarily.

Cancer research is one example that

received £31 million in this way but

I'm very sympathetic to my right

honourable friend's argument and it

is a matter that I'll be taking

forward. Alan Mak Ryanair have

announced slashing of 20 Glasgow

airport routes, a cut of over a

million passengers in the loss of

many jobs the departure tax caused

by this government has been cited as

a reason. Another is the Brexit

uncertainty in the aviation sector.

With more routes and jobs likely to

go, what is the Chancellor and his

colleagues doing to support the

aviation sector during the

negotiations?

The issue of

devolution has been delayed after

consultations between ourselves and

the Scottish Government and both

governments been satisfied with the

current arrangement. As to the

announcement by Ryanair, I believe

part of that announcement was also

that they would be extending the

number of routes out of Edinburgh

airport.

If we want to see

sustainable rising wages, we will

need to see higher productivity.

Does my honourable friend welcome

the recent improvement in these

figures that we have seen?

We have

seen two quarters of good activity

data but we should recognise that

the productivity challenge we face

in this country is long-term. The

government has taken a range of

measures to address it and we will

watch the evolution of this data

very carefully. But there is

certainly no scope for any

complacency about the scale of the

challenge that we face and we're

determined to rise it.

Artificial

intelligence brings huge economic

opportunities but to date big tech

companies have seemed even more

likely than traditional corporate is

to engage in aggressive tax

avoidance and concentrate power in a

narrow homogenous group of people.

What will the Chancellor do to

ensure companies in this growing

sector will pay and take account of

their wider corporate responsibility

to society?

The honourable lady will

know that we have made announcements

at the budget in respect of the...

Those that operate from digital

platforms and so create value as a

consequence, we are consulting on

the measures that we may take. We

have said in our consultation

document. It is possible we may look

at revenue taxes as a particular

approach ago but our preference is a

multilateral move with our partners

in the EU but we are prepared to go

it alone if that proves necessary.

The services sector makes a huge tax

contribution to the public purse.

What confidence can you give to my

constituents who work in financial

services that our new free trade

agreements will cover services as

well as goods?

We are clear that the

future comprehensive trade

partnership with the European Union

must include goats as well as

services. A deal can only be done if

it is fair to both sides -- include

goods as well as services. We have

heard it asserted that it is

impossible for services to part of a

trade agreement. I do not believe

that is the case and next week I

shall make a speech in which I will

set out our view of how it is

possible to include services within

such a trade deal.

The Chancellor

referred earlier to what he called

the continued prosperity in the UK.

Will he undertake to do two things,

one to ensure that the significance

of the tax system is undertaken by

looking at the level at which the

low paid, part-time and full-time

employees get the first £300 free of

national insurance each week?

We

will continue to seek to simplify

the tax system although I have to

say my personal observation is that

whenever a proposal is made to

simplify, those who benefit from

complexity is quickly speak up and

those are not always people on high

incomes, they are often on low

incomes as well so we shall continue

to try to simplify the system that

is fair and appropriate for all.

Whilst accepting that the MoD is in

need of serious reform as well as

more money, can the Chancellor

confirmed that he has agreed with

the Secretary of State for Defence

that there will be no further

reductions in capability of the

modernising defence review takes

place on the money required that in

the region of two million pounds

will be forthcoming?

As the House

will know I have the privilege to

serve the nearly three years as

Defence Secretary and I will one in

my operation in the work that our

Armed Forces do I also understand

how complex and challenging managing

the defence budget is being a

multi-annual budget with many

conflicts procurements in it. My

right honourable friend the Prime

Minister and myself are working very

carefully with our right honourable

friend the Defence Secretary as he

carries out the modernisation review

and we will ensure that defence has

the funding it needs to continue to

defend this country appropriately.

Thank you. North Derbyshire CCG

finished last year £27 million in

the red and £16 million of cuts were

demanded. In spite of closing

hospital beds at a time when name I

most needed, they will end this year

£27 million in the red again. When

will this government give the NHS

sustainable settlement to ensure

proper services?

We have given the

NHS sustainable settlement. The

received an additional £6.3 billion

but it is also important we reform

our health care services on that we

put in place the sustainable

transformation plans, that investing

capital and new technology and

making sure that we use our

fantastic front line workers, nurses

and doctors, in the best way

possible.

As the Chancellor knows,

investment in infrastructure is key

to ensure that we can build the

thousands of homes that this country

needs. Would the Chancellor agreed

to meet with me and other

Hertfordshire MPs and the leader of

Hertfordshire County Council to

discuss how we might be able to do

this in Hertfordshire, where we need

to deliver about 100,000 new homes?

Yes, Mr Speaker, I am always

delighted to meet with my honourable

friend and his colleagues and

Hertfordshire is one of the

high-pressure housing areas where it

is absolutely essential that we

deliver additional housing if we are

to improve affordability.

Cold

weather payments were triggered in

all postcodes in my constituency

yesterday. Information that I shared

on social media, yet a constituent

has got up to me this morning to say

that when she contacted Universal

Credit they said they knew nothing

about it. So could the Chancellor

work with colleagues in the

Department for Work and Pensions

given the freezing weather and the

fact that people will be nervous to

turn the heating on if they do not

know they can pay for it to resolve

this as soon as possible?

I'm

grateful to the honourable will look

into the point that she has raised

immediately. This is obviously an

immediate issue in relation to the

colder weather we're having now and

I will find out letter no later

today.

Of the discipline