Chancellor John Healey has said he will look to do more to give people “a bit of breathing space on the costs of living” in next week’s Budget.
The Chancellor spoke at the St Fergus gas terminal near Peterhead, on the day the Government announced the Jackdaw gas field had been approved.
Asked if he would offer help with inflation and energy prices in next week’s Budget, he said: “People can see prices rising. They see it at the pumps. They see it in their bills. They see it with monthly mortgage costs, and they can see it’s driven by the conflict in the Middle East.”
He continued: “We’re a week away from the Budget, and I think if people look at what we did in the first week of the Government – £2 cap on bus fares, we cut VAT off electricity bills, we reduce business rates for pubs, clubs, and venues.
“And I will look to do more, as I can, to give a bit of breathing space on the costs of living and the costs of business at the Budget.”