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Watch live: MPs grill Jeremy Hunt on economy in House of Commons

Holly Patrick
Tuesday 19 March 2024 11:40 GMT
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Watch live as Jeremy Hunt answers questions on the economy from MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 19 March.

It comes after the chancellor announced the spring Budget on 6 March, which included a national insurance cut, fuel and alcohol duty freezes, the abolishment of the non-dom tax status, and guaranteed pay rates to childcare providers for the next two years, among other measures.

Mr Hunt attempted to rally support for his languishing party - which has dropped to a 45-year low - with the £10bn cut to national insurance, but the Budget watchdog warned the average worker will still be hundreds of pounds worse off overall.

By repeating his previous cut to the tax in his autumn statement, the chancellor said the two reductions would together save workers an average of £900 a year.

Mr Hunt has claimed the cuts taken together would lead an extra 200,000 people to join the workforce.

However, a report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) calculated the typical worker on a £35,000 salary will be £383 worse off over this year and the next due to stealth tax rises.

At 3pm, Mr Hunt will appear at the Economic Affairs Committee for an annual scrutiny session.

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