Hitchin MP Bim Afolami writes a regular weekend column for Nub News. 

Read on for his latest article entitled: Delivering for Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages in the Budget 

Last week the Chancellor unveiled the Government's Budget for the coming year, writes Bim Afolomi for Nub News

You've told me your priorities for our area – things like growing the economy, tackling NHS waiting times, supporting you with the cost of living. This is a Budget that delivers for our communities. 

Supporting working parents is hugely important – to our economy and to those parents who want to work.

That's why it is fantastic news that we're bringing in 30 hours free childcare for eligible working parents of children from nine months to three years, in addition to the existing offer for three and four year olds.

I know that this will be hugely significant to thousands of working parents in Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages and I'll be working with Government Ministers to ensure that our early years settings have the right support to deliver it. 

For local business owners – we're changing the tax rules so that every single pound invested – whether that be in training, machinery, IT equipment, or other things – will be taken off your tax bill. This is a corporation tax cut for businesses that invest in the UK worth over £25 billion over the next three years.  

To help support older, experienced workers (particularly in the NHS) back into work and to extend their working lives, we are abolishing the Lifetime Allowance for pensions, increasing the Annual Allowance and the money purchase annual allowance for pensions to £60,000 and £10,000 respectively; and enhancing DWP's digital midlife MOT offer. 

On the cost of living, we are extending the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500 until July 2023 (saving the average household £160 per month) and freezing fuel duty for twelve months (saving the average driver around £100 over the next year).

This brings the total government support over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of living to over £94 billion – an average of over £3,300 per household. 

Nearly £4m is also being given to Hertfordshire to fix our potholes – making roads safer for drivers in Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages. 

This is a Budget for Growth and I look forward to working with local colleagues and Ministers to ensure that it delivers for Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages.