Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to catch your eye for what will be the last time in my 23 years in this place. Like all Members who have spoken in this wonderful debate, it is going to be a great wrench to leave the House. The only...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to catch your eye for what will be the last time in my 23 years in this place. Like all Members who have spoken in this wonderful debate, it is going to be a great wrench to leave the House. The only...

Q12

.

Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con):

The best ways to help people with the cost of living are to cut their taxes, keep unemployment low and get inflation down—things that this Government are doing. What is the Prime Minister’s assessment of how the very welcome news of today’s reduction in inflation will help businesses and families with the costs that they face?

Q12

.

Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con):

The best ways to help people with the cost of living are to cut their taxes, keep unemployment low and get inflation down—things that this Government are doing. What is the Prime Minister’s assessment of how the very welcome news of today’s reduction in inflation will help businesses and families with the costs that they face?

If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 22 May.

If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 22 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 9 January, (b) 1 February, (c) 7 March and (d) 9 May 2024 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB44530.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 9 January, (b) 1 February, (c) 7 March and (d) 9 May 2024 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB44530.

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I chair the 1922 defence committee, and the Secretary of State will know from Prime Minister’s questions that the whole Conservative party welcomes this announcement, but may I suggest that the message from the Government would carry so much greater resonance globally if the official Opposition...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I chair the 1922 defence committee, and the Secretary of State will know from Prime Minister’s questions that the whole Conservative party welcomes this announcement, but may I suggest that the message from the Government would carry so much greater resonance globally if the official Opposition...

I very much associate myself with the remarks of my right hon. Friend regarding Lord Frank Field, who was a good man.

I very much welcome the Government’s firm commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030. It is something that will send the right message to our allies and potential adversaries alike, and it is something on which the 1922 defence committee has been campaigning for a little while. However, would my right hon. Friend do what he can to ensure that some of that increased money is spent on additional recruitment—including, if necessary, increasing wages sufficiently—to ensure that the Navy can manage ships, the Air Force can maintain its aircraft and the Army can dominate ground?

I very much associate myself with the remarks of my right hon. Friend regarding Lord Frank Field, who was a good man.

I very much welcome the Government’s firm commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030. It is something that will send the right message to our allies and potential adversaries alike, and it is something on which the 1922 defence committee has been campaigning for a little while. However, would my right hon. Friend do what he can to ensure that some of that increased money is spent on additional recruitment—including, if necessary, increasing wages sufficiently—to ensure that the Navy can manage ships, the Air Force can maintain its aircraft and the Army can dominate ground?

Will the hon. Member give way?

Will the hon. Member give way?

The shadow Secretary of State underplays the strength of the British economy, with record employment and an unemployment rate one third below the EU average. I put this to him: the tax take is higher than we on the Conservative Benches would like, but the key reason is that in...

The shadow Secretary of State underplays the strength of the British economy, with record employment and an unemployment rate one third below the EU average. I put this to him: the tax take is higher than we on the Conservative Benches would like, but the key reason is that in...

I commend the Government for this Budget, which I think is more radical than first meets the eye. I say that as someone who is probably making their last Budget speech. As some of my right hon. and hon. Friends know, after 23 years I shall be stepping down at...

I commend the Government for this Budget, which I think is more radical than first meets the eye. I say that as someone who is probably making their last Budget speech. As some of my right hon. and hon. Friends know, after 23 years I shall be stepping down at...

I join my hon. Friend in commending the professionalism of our armed forces, and in pointing out that Labour has not committed to an increase in defence spending, but may I remind him that the first duty of any Government is to ensure that defence spending primarily reflects the threat,...

I join my hon. Friend in commending the professionalism of our armed forces, and in pointing out that Labour has not committed to an increase in defence spending, but may I remind him that the first duty of any Government is to ensure that defence spending primarily reflects the threat,...

Q4

.

Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con):

My constituents and I send our best wishes to the King and the royal family.

Despite the popular narrative, our economy is doing well, with an unemployment rate well below the EU average, strong inward investment and record employment. Taxes are higher than Conservatives would like, but does my right hon. Friend agree that a key reason for this is that we rightly spent £400 billion on covid support, including one of most generous furlough schemes, in order to ensure that no one was left behind, and that it is our intention and instinct to lower taxes, unlike the Opposition parties?

Q4

.

Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con):

My constituents and I send our best wishes to the King and the royal family.

Despite the popular narrative, our economy is doing well, with an unemployment rate well below the EU average, strong inward investment and record employment. Taxes are higher than Conservatives would like, but does my right hon. Friend agree that a key reason for this is that we rightly spent £400 billion on covid support, including one of most generous furlough schemes, in order to ensure that no one was left behind, and that it is our intention and instinct to lower taxes, unlike the Opposition parties?

If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 7 February.

If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 7 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 1 September (b) 18 October, (c) 21 November, (d) 21 December 2023 and (e) 11 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42509.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 1 September (b) 18 October, (c) 21 November, (d) 21 December 2023 and (e) 11 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42509.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply to the correspondence of (a) 1 September 2023, (b) 2 October 2023, (c) 30 November 2023 and (d) 11 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay relating to a constituent,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply to the correspondence of (a) 1 September 2023, (b) 2 October 2023, (c) 30 November 2023 and (d) 11 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay relating to a constituent,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of (a) 22 September, (b) 25 October, (c) 23 November, and (d) 20 December 2023 regarding a constituent, case reference JB42595.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of (a) 22 September, (b) 25 October, (c) 23 November, and (d) 20 December 2023 regarding a constituent, case reference JB42595.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 22 September, (b) 23 October, (c) 23 November and (d) 21 December 2023 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42936 and MC2023/18620.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 22 September, (b) 23 October, (c) 23 November and (d) 21 December 2023 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42936 and MC2023/18620.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 8 September, (b) 2 October, (c) 2 November and (d) 7 December 2023 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42739.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 8 September, (b) 2 October, (c) 2 November and (d) 7 December 2023 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42739.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 1 September, (b) 2 October, (c) 2 November and (d) 7 December 2023 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42596.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 1 September, (b) 2 October, (c) 2 November and (d) 7 December 2023 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay, case reference JB42596.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution made by the Minister for Defence People and Families on 28 November 2023 to the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records, Official Report, column 245WH, when he plans to report back on the files from...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution made by the Minister for Defence People and Families on 28 November 2023 to the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records, Official Report, column 245WH, when he plans to report back on the files from...

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay dated (a) 1 September, (b) 26 October, (c) 9 November, (d) 30 November, (e) 1 December 2023 and (f) 16 January 2024, case reference...

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay dated (a) 1 September, (b) 26 October, (c) 9 November, (d) 30 November, (e) 1 December 2023 and (f) 16 January 2024, case reference...