Finance Bill

I agree with my hon. Friend about that saving attitude. We must encourage people to take the available opportunities and nurture their ability to think about how they can save and use money positively in the future. We want their children to benefit and to get the saving ethic as soon as possible. However, we need even more people to take up child tax credit and the child trust fund. It is not only families and children who have benefited and will benefit further. The increase in pension tax allowances will take 600,000 pensioners out of paying income tax. Again, the message from pensioners whom I meet in my constituency is that there have been significant changes and improvements in their lives. They realise that a Labour Government have taken care of them and helped them to achieve a better quality of life. Nearly 5,000 pensioners in Swansea, East are in receipt of pension credit, which gives them an extra £49 a week. More than 11,000 households receive winter fuel payments. What matters to people is the help in their pockets, and how they can improve their lives. Of course I welcome all the improvements. I would have liked the Chancellor to have been even more generous to families and children, but I realise that he has done everything that he can to help as many people as possible. We as a Government have made a difference to some of the poorest people in our communities. I am confident that we will continue to deliver good job opportunities and financial support for working families, children and pensioners, and will ensure that everyone benefits from the success that we enjoy in Britain. I commend the Bill to the House and hope that it has a speedy passage.