Chancellor George Osborne faces Lords Economic Affairs Committee questions
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will next week question Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon George Osborne MP, in its annual session one-off evidence session.
The Committee is likely to question the Chancellor on a number of topical issues, including the economic case for the UK staying in the European Union; whether Hinkley Point is a good deal for UK taxpayers; will the extension of Right to Buy to housing associations deplete the social housing stock; and the much-debated issue of executive pay.
Other questions the Committee is likely to put to Mr Osborne are:
- What effect will the Summer Budget have on income inequality in the UK?
- What effect will the National Living Wage will have on productivity and employment, and will it compensate for reductions to welfare?
- Will the Scottish Government be given greater borrowing powers and if so, what restrictions would you seek to enforce?
- Given pauses to rail improvements in the north, is it still true that HS2 is not taking money away from the existing network?
- Given recent scandals, what concrete evidence is there of a change in banking culture?
- Is there a case for replacing the UK benefits system with a basic income?
The evidence session will start at 3:35pm on Tuesday 8 September in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.
