Labour MP for Reading West, Martin Salter today described the Budget as good news for pensioners, low income families and the environment. Mr Salter particularly welcomed the provisions in the Chancellor’s Budget to alleviate fuel poverty, an area in which he has been campaigning on for some time. This week Mr Salter tabled a parliamentary question calling for a raise in the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners to help with rising fuel bills.

In January of this year Mr. Salter pressed Ministers to raise the Winter Fuel Allowance, citing the alarming growth of ‘fuel poverty’ amongst the UK’s pensioners. The Reading West MP also challenged Ministers to encourage energy companies to improve their ‘social tariffs’ for vulnerable customers, following rises in gas and electricity bills of up to 27%. In his statement today the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP announced:

“For this year I have decided to help pensioners who are facing pressures such as higher energy bills. I will raise the winter fuel payment for over 60s from £200 to £250 and for the over 80s from £300 to £400.  9 million pensioner households will be better off.”

On social tariffs the Chancellor proposed the following:

“Energy companies currently spend around £50 million a year on social tariffs. I want to se this rising to at least £150 million a year over the period ahead.”

Speaking from Westminster after today’s Budget statement Mr. Salter said:

“I am delighted that the Chancellor has responded positively to representations from pensioners organizations and others who have been campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable members of our society who are struggling to pay their energy bills. Over 9 million households’ nationwide and 16,430 people in Reading West will benefit from an increase in Winter Fuel Payments. I am greatly encouraged by these budget provisions as the fight against fuel poverty must be a joint venture between government and Britain’s energy providers.”

Steps to alleviate child poverty were also on the agenda in the Budget. This followed intense lobbying by Labour MPs and voluntary organisations in reminding the Government of its commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020.

Mr. Salter said:

“I was encouraged by the increase in Child Benefit in the Budget to £20 per week and the £50 annual increase in Child Tax Credit. This will help 12,315 families in my constituency and is an issue I have been campaigning on, adding my name to the list of 73 MPs who wrote to The Observer asking the Chancellor to ensure that tackling child poverty is at the heart of the Budget announcement.”

Last September Mr Salter highlighted the importance of phasing out the single use of plastic carrier bags with a survey of shoppers in Reading’s main supermarkets. Around 13 Billion plastic carrier bags are distributed in the UK each year most of which end up in landfill or contribute to the littering of the countryside, rivers and oceans.

Mr Salter added:

“The environment is a key issue and I’m pleased with the measures to encourage the purchase and use of more fuel efficient and less polluting vehicles. Furthermore I am cheered by the announcement that the Government will introduce legislation to enforce a charge on plastic bags by 2009 if supermarkets fail to take sufficient action to end the distribution of single use plastic bags. I have been pushing this issue in Parliament and with Ministers for some time following the shoppers survey that was carried out in Reading last Autumn. I also welcome the announcement that the Government intends, as part of an international agreement, to move towards an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.”

Mr Salter concluded:

“In tight financial circumstances Alistair Darling has produced a solid and sensible green Budget with help for those that need it the most.”