Latest budget good news for Goole?

Published on 29th March 2007 in News

Goole MP Ian Cawsey has spoken out this week about the 2007 Budget and claims that it is something which will be 'welcomed' by most local people.

Last Wednesday, March 21, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced a cut in the basic income tax rate from April, 2008 in what is likely to be his last Budget. Meanwhile, duty on beer and cider rises by one pence a pint, wine by five pence and a packet of cigarettes by 11 pence.

Goole MP Ian Cawsey has welcomed the results, and has spoken out about what they could mean for the local area.

"The Budget included many measures that I think will be welcomed by most local people," he said.

"Obviously the headlines will concentrate on the unexpected cut in income tax down from 22 pence in the pound to 20 pence, but that's not until next year and there was much more to the budget than that.

"The increase in tax allowances for pensioners will mean that an additional 600,000 pensioners will cease to pay tax and increases in the Pension Credit will help the less well off.

"Schools will see their funding increased to the highest ever level. Funding per pupil, which was just £2,500 when Gordon became the Chancellor, will now rise to £6,600, which is a great investment to our young people."

Child Benefit is set to rise over the next three years to £20 a week. In 1997, it was just £575 a year, but will rise to more than £1,000 a year by 2010, another move welcomed by the local MP.

He said: "Already, 3,400 families and 6,300 children in this constituency benefit from tax credits. I am sure they will welcome the increase in the child element of the Child Tax Credit of £150 per year. Indeed, the announcements on tax credits and child benefit will move another 200,000 children out of poverty."

Mr Cawsey also paid tribute to Chancellor Gordon Brown. He added: "I suspect this will be Gordon's last budget, most people know he has presided over the longest period of economic growth in our history.

"Perhaps less well known is that when he became Chancellor, the UK was bottom of the wealthiest G7 countries in terms of income per person. Now we are second with only the US ahead of us and we have the highest growth in the G7 as well.

"It is a remarkable record and if he does move on to become the Prime Minister, he will be a very difficult act to follow!"