Sarah Atherton MP has welcomed the Chancellor’s Spring Budget which was delivered to the House of Commons on Wednesday 6th March.
The Chancellor began his statement by announcing that since 2022, the UK Government has committed £94 billion to households across the UK to help combat cost of living challenges (an average of £3,300 per UK household).
The Budget’s key measure was the 2% cut to National Insurance which will impact around 27 million workers. Taken together with the measures at last year’s Autumn Statement, that means that somebody earning the average UK salary will save around £900 per year.
Meanwhile, Ms Atherton praised the UK Government’s commitment to Wales which will receive almost £170 million in Barnett consequentials following the Chancellor’s statement. This is in addition to the record £18 billion block grant that the Welsh Government receives per year from the UK Government.
As a former brewer and a Long Live the Local Parliamentary Champion, Ms Atherton has extensively campaigned on behalf of the brewing and pub sectors, and the wider hospitality industry across Wrexham.
Last month, Wrexham’s MP co-signed a letter to the Chancellor calling on him to introduce several measures to support the industry. Following the Chancellor’s statement, the level of alcohol duty has been frozen until February 2025.
The announcement will come as a relief to the hospitality sector in Wales, especially following the Welsh Government’s decision to reduce the level of business rate relief, which will take effect from next month. The rate of relief in England will be maintained at 75%.
Following her election, Ms Atherton has been involved in numerous campaigns to support motorists across the country. Since September 2023, Welsh motorists have been adapting to the Welsh Government’s new default 20mph speed limit, while just last year, Ministers in Cardiff announced that it would be scrapping all major road building projects in Wales.
In advance of the Budget, Wrexham’s MP joined her parliamentary colleagues in lobbying the UK Government to extend the 5p cut to the current level of fuel duty as part of her continued commitment to motorists. To support people with the cost of living, the Chancellor confirmed that the temporary 5p cut would be extended until March 2025.
Sarah Atherton MP commented:
“I welcome the Chancellor’s Spring Budget which will deliver for workers in Wrexham. I am also pleased, following my campaigning efforts, that motorists and the hospitality sector will benefit from this Budget thanks to a freeze to the level of alcohol duty and the extension of the 5p cut to fuel duty.
“As part of this Budget, Wales will receive almost £170 million from the UK Government. Whilst it is up to the Welsh Government to decide how to spend this money, I am calling for it to be invested in healthcare, infrastructure and easing the council tax burden. These are the priorities of the people of Wales.
“Time and time again, the Welsh Labour Government mismanages Wales’ finances. Vanity projects such as the 20mph default speed limit and Senedd expansion are costing Welsh taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.
“With a new First Minister set to take office in a few weeks, the Welsh Government must get its head out of the sand, take advantage of this funding settlement that the UK Government has provided, and begin delivering for households across Wales.”