Newcastle North MP and Shadow Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Catherine McKinnell, used Treasury Questions in the Commons this morning (11th March) to highlight how the Coalition’s policies have hit women four times harder than men.
Catherine challenged Ministers on recent analysis by the House of Commons Library which indicates that the Chancellor’s tax and benefit changes since 2010 have raised a net £3.047billion (21%) from men, but £11.628billion (79%) from women.
She also referred to an earlier answer this morning by Treasury Minister Sajid Javid who – when asked why the Chancellor has failed to appoint a single woman to the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee since June 2010 (the first time there hasn’t been a woman on this Committee, which sets interest rates, since 1997) – responded that ‘appointments to the MPC should always be made on merit.’
Catherine said in the Commons today:
‘Now we know that the Minister thinks there are no women in Britain good enough to be on the Monetary Policy Committee!
‘The Chancellor’s Budgets and Spending Reviews have hit women – particularly those on low incomes – a staggering four times harder than men.
‘Millions [of women] are struggling with the cost of living crisis, on average £26 a week worse since 2010.
‘So why is the Chancellor’s top rate tax cut and marriage tax break giving over 80% of the benefit to men?
‘Just take a look at their benches, Mr Speaker – is this Government completely out of touch with women in this country?’
Catherine’s question followed her New Statesman article on this issue published to mark International Women’s Day on 8th March: http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/03/cameron-and-osborne-cant-avoid-truth-their-policies-have-hit-women-hardest