Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed, has welcomed the announcements made in the Summer Budget, highlighting the introduction of a new National Living Wage, an increase in the personal tax-free allowance and other measures which, she says, will; "support those on low incomes, allow people to keep more of their hard earned money and help businesses grow" and described it as "a budget that has clear and tangible benefits for the people living in Berwick and North Northumberland".
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, set out his plans yesterday, billing it as a budget "putting security first" - 'the economic security of a country that lives within its means, the financial security of lower taxes and a new national living wage and the national security of a country that defends itself and its values'.
One of the most significant announcements was the introduction of a new National Living Wage for all working people aged 25 and over, it will start next April at £7.20 an hour and is expected to reach £9 by 2020. Anne-Marie Trevelyan said; "The new National Living Wage is great news for those on low wages and struggling to make ends meet, it gives two and a half million people a direct pay rise and those currently on the minimum wage will see their pay increase by over a third within four years".
The personal tax-free allowance will be increased, next year, to £11,000 as part of the government's commitment to raise the allowance to £12,500 by the end of the parliament. Anne Marie-Trevelyan said; "I am delighted that this government has made good its promise to allow people to keep more of their hard earned money. This rise in the personal allowance will directly benefit 31,839 of my constituents who will pay less income tax as a result and an additional 637 will be taken out of paying tax altogether".
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who champions small businesses in Northumberland, also spoke in favour of the changes to business taxes - corporation tax will be cut to 18% and the employment allowance is to be extended to £3,000; "These measures will help all those small businesses in North Northumberland, run by talented and enterprising individuals, who want to grow and take on more staff. The increase in the employment allowance will mean that a business will be able to employ four people full time on the new National Living Wage and pay no national insurance at all".
Anne-Marie Trevelyan also welcomed the government's pledge to fund 3 million more quality apprenticeships; "I am a huge fan of apprenticeships schemes, as someone who has just employed a young person full time on to my staff who started as an apprentice. This governments commitment to creating more apprentices is fantastic news for businesses, our young people and the future economy".
She also endorsed the government's commitment to meeting the NATO pledge to spend 2% of national income on defence each year.