Kirsteen Sullivan

Prior to last Wednesday I wanted to see a Budget that tackled the cost of living crisis while delivering the investment that would allow people and businesses to prosper—not an easy task, but this Budget has delivered. With the removal of the two-child limit, in one policy change this Labour Government will directly benefit 1,700 children in my constituency. Scrapping the cap will be transformational to the life chances and outcomes of children across the country. People in my constituency welcome the £150 reduction in energy bills, with a £300 saving for those on the lowest incomes. That will ease pressure on household budgets. One of the biggest scandals of the 14 years of Tory government is the fact that so many people in work rely on welfare. By bringing fairness back to pay, we rebuild financial resilience and protect more families from hardship. Thanks to the Budget, over 200,000 Scots will receive an above-inflation pay rise, including over 9,000 people across West Lothian and Falkirk. This puts more money in their pockets. The Government are also backing much needed investment in Scottish public services, with an extra £820 million taking the additional funding for the Scottish Government to over £10 billion since July 2024. That is the choice that this Government have made, yet Scots are not seeing the improvements that the funding should deliver, and councils are forced to find ever greater and more damaging cuts. West Lothian council has just closed a public consultation on an additional £23 million in cuts over the next two years, on top of the £184 million cut since the SNP took power in 2007. That is £184 million cut from services in our towns and villages—services that our residents, including our most vulnerable citizens, rely on. There are no good choices. It is austerity on stilts, and it is wholly driven by the SNP Government. It is their political choice, and there are no excuses. This is a fair and balanced Budget, but I would like reassurance from Front Bench colleagues on a few points. Some constituents have flagged the Motability situation, especially in relation to the availability and affordability of automatic cars. Many disabled drivers can only drive automatics, and many require larger cars to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility aids. I would therefore be grateful to the Minister for reassurance that any definition of “luxury car” will not just consider price, because doing so would limit the availability of larger vehicles, permanent adaptations and automatics. Some constituents are also concerned about the freezing of the tax thresholds beyond 2028, so I ask the Government to reconsider the extension if economic projections are consistently outperformed. Changing the country is not going to be easy, but this Labour Government are putting in the hard yards, through meaningful choices and a rejection of austerity and debt—building a country and an economy that works for everyone and leaves no one behind.