division_name: Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases
motion: <p class="indent" pid="d574.4/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;but respectfully regret that the Gracious Speech fails to announce a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas producers, in order to provide much-needed relief from energy price increases for households.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d574.4/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;a Government...ready and willing to act&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2022-10-27">27 October</phrase> 2021; Vol. 702, c. 275.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d577.1/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;There are none that we wouldn&#8217;t do.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d577.3/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;People who believe in capitalism believe that private sector companies should be rewarded for taking risks&#8230;not be rewarded for happening to be around when some disruption drives up prices, producing windfalls.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d591.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;we want to support people into work wherever possible&#8221;,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d591.1/10" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;driving impoverishment and further debt, particularly hitting the most vulnerable.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d591.1/14" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Everyone needs to believe that The State cares about them&#8221;,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d597.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;the British are among the worst idlers in the world. We work among the lowest hours&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d597.1/7" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;we retire early.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d601.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;more cash than we know what to do with&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d601.0/7" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;a happy time to be a crook&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d607.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;have the fiscal firepower to help families up and down the country with all the pressures that they face now.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2022-05-10">10 May</phrase> 2022; Vol. 714, c. 17.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d611.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;an emergency budget to get pay rising, help families with soaring bills, and keep the economy moving&#8221;&#8212;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d614.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;a legislative agenda that risks leaving increased levels of child poverty&#8212;currently at almost 4 million and expected to rise further&#8212;as its only real legacy.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d615.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;defending democracy and freedom across the world, including continuing to support the people of Ukraine.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d619.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;ease the cost of living for families&#8221;,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d620.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Energy for powering essential equipment, such as hoists, beds, breathing equipment, powered chairs and monitors was already expensive.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d620.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;these are not optional extras that can be cut back. This is vital, often life-saving, equipment.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d620.0/7" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;it is not acceptable for disabled people to be forced to pay care charges and choose between the support they need and food on the table.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d623.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;should not be in the business of profiting from mineworkers&#8217; pensions&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d625.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;the system is broken for people like me&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d634.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Because I tried to be sensible and save some money I am penalised and only get Pensions Savings Credit not guaranteed pension credit.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d634.0/7" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;We believe this is both an acknowledgment that we understand the pressures people are under and a practical demonstration of how important we believe our people are.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d638.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Spread opportunities and improve public services&#8221;,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d638.0/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;unethical and damaging practice that preys on victims of homophobia, transphobia, discrimination, and bullying.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d641.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;We are in a position right now where we&#8217;re not coping. Our energy bills have risen 54% and I am afraid that myself and many others will not be able to provide for our families.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d641.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">My husband&#8217;s parents are on a state pension of &#163;82.45 a week, we are concerned for their welfare as they cannot afford to heat their home nor pay for food if these energy prices continue.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d641.0/6" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Many of my friends are concerned for their own families too, we are all struggling, and instead of living, we&#8217;re surviving day to day.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d641.0/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;I have one daughter, 12 years old. I am in full time employment and on benefits. I have cancer. Even before the surge in energy prices many people like me have been struggling to afford the essentials. The cost of weekly food shopping has risen, so has the cost of energy. My rent also increased recently. I have had to make cutbacks on most things.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d641.1/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;These price increases are making me feel ill and depressed and are giving me sleepless nights due to worrying. I feel like a failure for having to ask my children to limit the heating, eating less, not eating things they enjoy and not having days out or treats.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d641.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;I am desperately worried about paying my increased utility bills. I am retired on a fixed income. I will have to stop using the central heating, and I can&#8217;t think what else to do.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d645.0/6" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;It is a very, very difficult place for us to be. To forecast 10% inflation and then say&#8230;&#8216;There&#8217;s not a lot we can do about 80% of it&#8217;&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d646.1/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;getting more cash than we know what to do with&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d647.2/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Inflation is taxation without legislation&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d647.2/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;has built automation into&#8230;management&#8212;this allows DWP to make changes every week, rather than having to plan six months in advance&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d647.2/10" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;This has been widely recognised as one of the best technical achievements delivered by DWP Digital for many years&#8230;It also enabled us to make further digital enhancements to benefit millions of UK citizens.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="d647.2/12" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;never could have done, or that would have taken significant time at a significant cost&#8221;</p>