John Glen MP: Scrutinising the Spring Statement and tackling the cost of living

In the wake of the Spring Statement, my work in Westminster this week has revolved around a series of Treasury Select Committee hearings offering us the chance to scrutinise the Chancellor’s announcements and quiz her and various economists and officials from the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) on their impacts.

This is an important part of the Parliamentary process, and I always take care to prepare thoroughly so that I can ask questions which are detailed, testing and pertinent, but fair. Meanwhile, the cost of living continues to dominate my inbox. The beginning of April has ushered in alarming rises in a whole range of household bills, from energy to water and council tax to the TV licence.

On average, families will face additional bills of £1,191 this year – a significant hike for those just above the threshold to receive support. In the past week, several reputable charities have been offering their own briefings and insights. Scope held a drop-in in Parliament to focus on the increased living expenses associated with disability, while Salisbury’s own Trussell has responded to the Spring Statement with valuable perspectives on the link between benefit cuts for the disabled and food bank use.

While campaigns can be informative, there is no substitute for hearing directly from people at the coal face. My next visit to the food bank is now only a month away and I will be keen to hear from volunteers what they are gleaning from their most vulnerable service users who may not feel inclined to write to their MP or come to see me. Our welfare system should encourage and support people into work, while always providing a safety net for those who need it most.

I am particularly aware that the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is not an unemployment benefit, and many recipients are actually able to go to work as a direct result of receiving it. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of disabled people in employment actually increased by 1.3 million, meaning that the previous government exceeded its goal to see one million more disabled people in employment by 2027 five years ahead of schedule.

I want to see the government build on this approach and be ambitious about what disabled people can do, without frightening and disadvantaging those most in need. My constituency engagements this week include discussions on farming, building standards, and a visit to a community struggling with the blight of speeding traffic..