Small Businesses

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 30 October 2008.

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Photo of Alistair Darling Alistair Darling The Chancellor of the Exchequer 11:30, 30 October 2008

I agree that the Government have to play their part in supporting businesses and in supporting individuals. For example, the fact that we have reduced the amount of tax paid by basic rate taxpayers is an extremely useful step. We have frozen fuel duty, and if I may say so—if the hon. Gentleman does not take this as an attack—that is a much better policy than the fuel duty escalator that he announced in July, which would have resulted in fuel duty having to go up now, at the very time when businesses want tax to come down. We will continue to do everything that we can to help businesses, because that is very important.