Well—[Interruption.] Sorry? [Interruption.] Yes, that is a good one. The tax threshold is a good example. One area we are focusing on is low-paid people in work, so there is the first stage of gradually increasing the tax thresholds up to £10,000 a year, and the universal credit itself should be particularly helpful to those on benefits and low pay, such as many people who come to my advice bureau. On Saturday, I did some calculations with somebody who had worked out that when we took into account all the rules the Labour party had produced over the years, it was not worth his while to work. Interestingly, in that instance that was because of a Child Support Agency deduction. We need to focus on the low paid and make sure that people get into work and through that route get themselves out of poverty. That is a good example of our putting money into the hands of low-paid families.
There is no evidence that the child trust fund produced extra saving, there is no evidence that the saving gateway produced extra savings—and there is only some evidence that, perhaps, it reduced spending on food outside the home—and there is no evidence that the health in pregnancy grant did any good for health in pregnancy. On that basis, if we are not going to cut these measures, what are we going to cut?
Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill
Proceeding contribution from
John Hemming
(Liberal Democrat)
in the House of Commons on Monday, 22 November 2010.
It occurred during Debate on bills on Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill.
About this proceeding contribution
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519 c126-7 Session
2010-12Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamberSubjects
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