Sir Julian Lewis: As somebody who has been around a long time and remembers when Chancellors used to have to resign for leaking things about the Budget in advance, may I ask the Minister to explain how it has been possible for the present Chancellor to make speeches about what may or may not be in her Budget in advance with no consequences forthcoming whatsoever?

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (James Murray): I am very happy to remind the right hon. Gentleman and all Members that what the Chancellor set out in her speech last Tuesday were the values and principles that will guide her in taking the right decisions going into the Budget at the end of the month. The importance of protecting the NHS, bringing down the cost of living and getting debt down – those will be the guiding principles for the Chancellor going into the Budget. That is important, because it sets out to the British people the challenges we face – some of them deep scars in the economy caused by the Conservatives – as well as the values that will guide us and the Chancellor in taking those decisions on 26 November. ...]