Author: parliamentaryunit

The Bishop of Southwark spoke at the second reading of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on 6th January 2025, raising the issue of the effects of increases in national insurance on clergy and on the transport sector for children with SEND:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I wish to make three quick points on this, the largest and probably most consequential, measure announced by the Chancellor in the Budget. My first point is very tentative, as it relates to the promises on taxation made by major parties prior to general elections. We are an unelected House, and I am deeply conscious of the peculiar pressures that political parties navigate to put across a message and compete with their opponents, but I think, wishfully perhaps, that greater restraint by parties on what they promise in the area of taxation would be appropriate since the House of Commons should have maximum freedom to pass a Finance Bill in our overall interests. I cannot be alone in thinking that placing such a burden on employer national insurance because of prior commitments ruling out other possible options is less than optimal and is already seemingly restraining economic growth.