In the 2020 Budget the government announced that e-publications would be charged VAT at the zero rate, in the same way as books, newspapers and magazines. This change took effect from 1 May 2020.

In the 2020 Budget the government announced that e-publications would be charged VAT at the zero rate, in the same way as books, newspapers and magazines. This change took effect from 1 May 2020.

An overview of initiatives to support businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.

An overview of initiatives to support businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented the 2020 Budget on 11 March. The Finance Bill 2019-21 was published on 17 March, and completed its scrutiny in the House of Commons on 2 July. The Finance Act 2020 received Royal Assent on 22 July.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented the 2020 Budget on 11 March. The Finance Bill 2019-21 was published on 17 March, and completed its scrutiny in the House of Commons on 2 July. The Finance Act 2020 received Royal Assent on 22 July.

The Finance Bill is a government bill intended to give the tax measures announced in the spring budget 2020 lasting statutory effect.

The Finance Bill is a government bill intended to give the tax measures announced in the spring budget 2020 lasting statutory effect.

My Lords, many noble Lords will be familiar with the purpose and provenance of this annual Motion and debate. Since 1999, in the days when we were members of the European Union, the Government were required to send an annual assessment of our economic and budgetary position to the European...

My Lords, many noble Lords will be familiar with the purpose and provenance of this annual Motion and debate. Since 1999, in the days when we were members of the European Union, the Government were required to send an annual assessment of our economic and budgetary position to the European...

My Lords, the Covid-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented shock to the economy. In response, the Government’s fiscal policy measures are unparalleled. At 20% of GDP, it is the largest peacetime fiscal expansion in British history. Against this backdrop, the March Budget, just eight weeks ago, already feels like a...

My Lords, the Covid-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented shock to the economy. In response, the Government’s fiscal policy measures are unparalleled. At 20% of GDP, it is the largest peacetime fiscal expansion in British history. Against this backdrop, the March Budget, just eight weeks ago, already feels like a...

My Lords, in last year’s debate on the government statement on economic convergence, my noble friend Lady Kramer said that it was “surreal” to debate the EU framework when the UK was leaving the EU. This year’s debate is far more surreal: we have now left; Boris Johnson has hardened...

My Lords, in last year’s debate on the government statement on economic convergence, my noble friend Lady Kramer said that it was “surreal” to debate the EU framework when the UK was leaving the EU. This year’s debate is far more surreal: we have now left; Boris Johnson has hardened...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for giving us this brief opportunity to hold the Government to account. Until a couple of hours ago, we were told that we had just two minutes for Back-Bench speeches. Now it is a stunning three minutes. We have...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for giving us this brief opportunity to hold the Government to account. Until a couple of hours ago, we were told that we had just two minutes for Back-Bench speeches. Now it is a stunning three minutes. We have...

Reading the March OBR report on the economic and fiscal outlook put me in mind of the saying of my noble friend Lord King that:

“The lesson is that no amount of sophisticated statistical analysis is a match for the historical experience that ‘stuff happens’.”

Now we know that there was never...

Reading the March OBR report on the economic and fiscal outlook put me in mind of the saying of my noble friend Lord King that:

“The lesson is that no amount of sophisticated statistical analysis is a match for the historical experience that ‘stuff happens’.”

Now we know that there was never...

My Lords, as many will know, I was a firm believer that we should stay in the EU, but I also happen to believe in democracy. The British people gave a very clear answer last December and we now have to do the best we can with that. It is...

My Lords, as many will know, I was a firm believer that we should stay in the EU, but I also happen to believe in democracy. The British people gave a very clear answer last December and we now have to do the best we can with that. It is...

My Lords, in last year’s debate, my noble friend Lord Davies of Oldham said in winding up that

“we are not in normal times.”—[Official Report, 9/4/19; col. 463.]

He spoke of what he saw as the threat to our economy. I must say that his words seem even more apt in today’s...

My Lords, in last year’s debate, my noble friend Lord Davies of Oldham said in winding up that

“we are not in normal times.”—[Official Report, 9/4/19; col. 463.]

He spoke of what he saw as the threat to our economy. I must say that his words seem even more apt in today’s...

My Lords, the House of Commons did not even debate this assessment or vote on it. In fact, the Commons approved this without even seeing it as it was not published until yesterday. I am glad that the House of Lords is considering it.

The Budget and the OBR report on...

My Lords, the House of Commons did not even debate this assessment or vote on it. In fact, the Commons approved this without even seeing it as it was not published until yesterday. I am glad that the House of Lords is considering it.

The Budget and the OBR report on...

My Lords, I agree with other speakers that it is, indeed, a surreal experience to be speaking on government compliance with the SGP on a convergence programme, given that we are diverging from the EU, notwithstanding our obligations under the transition period. I also note that within the EU the...

My Lords, I agree with other speakers that it is, indeed, a surreal experience to be speaking on government compliance with the SGP on a convergence programme, given that we are diverging from the EU, notwithstanding our obligations under the transition period. I also note that within the EU the...

My Lords, this debate is worthy of a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, but even those masters of the absurd could not have imagined anything quite as ridiculous as discussing convergence with an organisation that we are not a part of at a time when it is impossible to know...

My Lords, this debate is worthy of a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, but even those masters of the absurd could not have imagined anything quite as ridiculous as discussing convergence with an organisation that we are not a part of at a time when it is impossible to know...

My Lords, I want to follow on from where the noble Lord, Lord Balfe, ended in talking about the future importance of a Britain outside the European Union co-operating with our European friends and allies. I have been much saddened by this debate. Frankly, some of the speeches have demonstrated...

My Lords, I want to follow on from where the noble Lord, Lord Balfe, ended in talking about the future importance of a Britain outside the European Union co-operating with our European friends and allies. I have been much saddened by this debate. Frankly, some of the speeches have demonstrated...

My Lords, the Minister referred to the OBR report, as will I. He was keen to show the areas of progress. I understand that, and indeed that is all welcome, but he glossed over the areas where the OBR has flagged concerns, on debt in particular. We know that debt...

My Lords, the Minister referred to the OBR report, as will I. He was keen to show the areas of progress. I understand that, and indeed that is all welcome, but he glossed over the areas where the OBR has flagged concerns, on debt in particular. We know that debt...

My Lords, a disastrously infectious and pernicious virus has rendered obsolete both March’s Budget and February’s OBR outlook. That is because, as we know, every month that the lockdown continues we are losing around one-third of our GDP—the wealth that together we create, which finances our individual life choices and...

My Lords, a disastrously infectious and pernicious virus has rendered obsolete both March’s Budget and February’s OBR outlook. That is because, as we know, every month that the lockdown continues we are losing around one-third of our GDP—the wealth that together we create, which finances our individual life choices and...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord True for introducing this rather odd debate today. It is indeed strange that the UK is still required to submit information on its medium-term economic and fiscal position to the EU, although we left the EU more than three months...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord True for introducing this rather odd debate today. It is indeed strange that the UK is still required to submit information on its medium-term economic and fiscal position to the EU, although we left the EU more than three months...

My Lords, both documents that we are taking note of today are now simply historical because they have been overtaken by the unprecedented circumstances of the coronavirus, which has dented our economy. Perhaps I may give an example of that in a Northern Ireland context.

Unemployment is predicted to rise to...

My Lords, both documents that we are taking note of today are now simply historical because they have been overtaken by the unprecedented circumstances of the coronavirus, which has dented our economy. Perhaps I may give an example of that in a Northern Ireland context.

Unemployment is predicted to rise to...