This is a fantastic budget for local people, which helps families and those who are trying to get on in life.

We are putting money back into people's pockets by cutting taxes and letting people keep more of their wages. Increasing the amount you can earn before you pay tax from £6,500 to £10,000 next year is worth around £700 extra a year in your pay packet. Travelling to work will be easier as fuel duty has been frozen again and it is now 13 pence a litre lower than Labour planned, council tax has been frozen again and we can all celebrate with a penny off a pint and the beer duty escalator has been scrapped.

Helping families with the costs of childcare and the massive opportunities available under Right to Buy and Help to Buy schemes will mean every family has a chance to own their own home.

I am proud that this budget helps families and builds on the massive £280 million infrastructure investment I have secured from the government for our local schools, hospital, housing and jobs. More people are in work than before the General Election in the UK and with over 95% of people employed in Stevenage our area continues to lead the way out of these difficult economic times.