After the conference recess we all headed back to Parliament. There are many topics discussed in the chamber, but voting concerned the Finance Bill. Which is aimed at addressing imbalances in the tax system and preventing tax evasion, ensuring companies and individuals pay their fair share of tax. There has been a lot of effort to close tax loopholes, and we are collecting £1billion more than previously. Despite the UK having one of the best records in the world of stamping out tax evasion, there is always more to do, and periodically we need to update our laws.
If you ever look at Parliament on the telly and it looks empty it’s because most MPs are involved in other debates, meetings or sitting on a select committee. I’ve just become a member of the Public Accounts Committee which is responsible for scrutinising the value for money of public spending, and generally holds the government and its civil servants to account for the delivery of public services. The committee has representatives from all the main political parties, meeting at least twice a week usually for an afternoon. The remit is quite broad so we examine a wide variety of topics and several witnesses appear from the civil service or private companies. The work is really interesting, and I’m finding it’s a great place to learn about the variety of often difficult decisions that a government has to take.
This week we dug into the detail of the deal to build the new nuclear power station – Hinkley Point C which is due to be delivered in 2025, and is set to deliver 7% of the UK’s energy. We also examined the financial performance of the department for education. It is fair to say that we are spending more on education than ever before, and standards of attainment continue to rise. However, it is clear there are big regional differences both in terms of funding and outcomes. We need to ensure we are updating skill sets to ensure our children are equipped to succeed in the 21st century working environment.