Moray SNP News

LOCHHEAD RESPONDS TO CHANCELLOR’S SPRING STATEMENT

Richard Lochhead MSP has commented on the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s spring statement made in Parliament earlier today.

Commenting, Moray’s MSP said:

“Rishi Sunak and the Tory UK Government have once again failed to provide any substantial support to households across the country who are being forced to the brink with the cost of living crisis and soaring energy costs.

“Family finances are at breaking point with tightening budgets and families were looking to the Chancellor to provide meaningful support but he has instead decided to push people further into hardship.

“The 5p cut in fuel duty is a drop in the ocean when we’ve seen prices at forecourts hit record levels in recent weeks and will effectively only bring prices back to where they were just over a week ago, according to the RAC.

“While the threshold for National Insurance is being increased, tax payers are being hit with a 1.25% point rise in National insurance rates, and so the Chancellor is effectively giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

“The Scottish Government is doing all it can to help those most in need, having announced plans to uprate eight Scottish benefits by 6% from 1 April and double our Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week per eligible child, as well as provide a further £10 million for the Fuel Insecurity Fund which supports people struggling with their energy bills.

“The measures announced by the Chancellor fails Scotland as a whole and doesn’t go anywhere near supporting people in Moray, who are being hit by the double whammy of an energy crisis and a cost of living crisis.”