Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Nov-Dec 2016 number 90
Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Nov-Dec 2016 number 90
Sharon Hodgson MPs report Nov-Dec 2016 number 90
Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Nov - Dec 2015 - number 80.
Welcome to my online monthly report - News from Westminster - which details some of the highlights from Westminster and the constituency.
Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Nov-Dec 2015 - number 80
Sharon Hodgson MP report - Nov-Dec 2015 - no 80
Sharon reacts to figures that show women are hit three times harder than men in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
Following the Autumn Statement, Sharon reacts to Government’s public expenditure savings hitting women hardest.
Despite the Chancellor’s climb down on tax credit cuts, figures compiled by the House of Commons Library have shown that women will still be hit three times harder than men by Osborne’s announced changes to welfare spending and taxation in the Autumn Statement.
Of the £16 billion of savings expected to be raised in this Parliament, £12 billion will come directly from the pockets of women through changes to universal credit, childcare support and child benefit.
In reaction these figures, Sharon commented:
“It is clear that this Tory Government is continuing to fail women when it comes to their swinging cuts to public expenditure announced in yesterday’s Autumn Statement.
“Despite women making up 50 per cent of the country’s population, women still continue to be paid less than men and primarily work in lower paid sectors, yet the Chancellor’s savings have fallen mainly on the shoulders of women. More needs to be done to address this gender inequality so that women are supported with childcare costs, better employment opportunities and see pay parity with men.”
Sharon reacts to Autumn Statement's impact on women
Sharon Hodgson MP has reacted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement delivered to the House of Commons on 25.11.15
"Cuts to tax credits should never have been brought forward in the first place, but I am pleased that the pressures applied by the Labour Party and the ordinary working people of this country have paid off. The Chancellor has proved time and again that his plans simply don’t work, so it is good to see this one being reversed before it devastated the incomes of almost 6000 working families in my constituency. The real test, however, will be making sure these announcements are not simply more smoke and mirror tricks from this Chancellor, and that people do not lose out just as badly when they are eventually transferred to Universal Credit.
"Our campaign to secure continued funding for universal infant free school meals was also successful, with the Chancellor announcing it will not be cut. This is hugely welcomed, however I will be making sure that the Government sticks to and builds upon this policy, which does so much good for children up and down the country.
"On so many other areas, sadly, things are not so hopeful. More damaging cuts to essential services will continue to hurt the most vulnerable in our society, and with the Chancellor missing target after target nobody can be confident that his ideological austerity policies will even do what he plans.
"We need a balanced economy, built on investment, not on constant cuts, and a Chancellor who understands the needs of working people, which this one simply does not."