19:07 Martin Horwood (Cheltenham) (LD)

The economy is undoubtedly looking stronger now, not just according to the headline figures, with unemployment down, growth up, the deficit cut by a third in absolute terms and half in terms of GDP, inflation and interest rates both under control and living standards finally on the rise. It is stronger in a more subtle way, too. We have invested in infrastructure and in apprenticeships and skills, and carbon emissions are falling even while economic growth is increasing. Renewable energy has nearly tripled. This is a more sustainable economy and has strength in that regard as well.

I have some sympathy with something that the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Wayne David) said. When we think about the performance of the economy, we do not think enough about quality of life, and it would be a good thing to have a well-being Budget as well as a classical economic Budget, perhaps delivered by the Prime Minister the day before to put the economic Budget in context. It is important to think about not just economic growth but our quality of life and the state of the nation’s well-being, as well as to have reported to this House indicators on things such as mental and physical health, crime and sense of security, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions and access to green space, and education and children’s happiness. That would be good in setting the context for the main Budget.

[Source]

21:39 The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander)

(a) if the van cannot in any circumstances emit CO2 by being driven and the tax year is any of the tax years 2015-16 to 2019-20, the cash equivalent is the appropriate percentage of £3,150, and

(b) section 155(1B)(a) (cash equivalent for zero-emission van), and

31. Climate Change Levy (Rates)

That provision may be made about the rates of climate change levy.

32. Climate Change Levy (combined heat and power stations)

(1) Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 2000 (climate change levy) is amended as follows.

“CHP Qualifying Power Output” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Combined Heat and Power Quality Assurance Standard, Issue 5 (November 2013), prepared by the Department of Energy and Climate Change or, if that issue of the Standard has been replaced by another issue, by the current issue of the Standard (taking account, in either case, of any amendment which has been made to the issue);

(f) provision about the rates of climate change levy,

[Source]