AS THE the Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond announced his first Autumn Statement, Hampshire MPs have praised the decision to help working families.

During the announcement at the House of Commons yesterday Mr Hammond said that the Government finances forecast will be £122bn worse off in the period until 2021 than forecast in March's budget, which has been criticised by many fellow members.

But it was the chancellor’s aim to help the “ordinary” person by investing a £2.3 billion National Productivity Investment Fund to provide major additional spending over the next five years on transport, digital communications, research and development, and housing.

The 30p increase to the national living wage and the choice to ban on upfront fees charged by letting agents in England "as soon as possible" has been championed by Mr Hammond’s fellow MPs including North East Hampshire MP Ranil Jayawardena.

Mr Jayawardena said: ““The action announced in this Autumn Statement will help local people who are just about managing, and ensure that our economy is fighting fit as we begin the process to leave the European Union. 

“Increasing the National Living Wage, building more homes that local people can afford, ending tenants’ fees and continuing the fuel duty freeze for the seventh successive year will help families across North East Hampshire make ends meet.”

This was echoed by Basingstoke MP Maria Miller who added: “I was glad to see the ban on unfair tenants’ fees charged by letting agents. For people who rent their homes from a private landlord, this will remove an extra charge which I know can be difficult to afford.”

Mrs Miller also welcomed the investment in infrastructure and innovation and help for businesses as she said it would be a great benefit to the town.

“Reliable transport networks are essential for growth and productivity, and the announcements today offer some excellent opportunities to secure funding for Basingstoke,” added the Basingstoke MP

“Until quite recently, we have not had the investment in our roads and other infrastructure needed to keep pace with the high level of housebuilding and while this is now being addressed, future levels of housebuilding mean that we need to keep up the momentum.”

Even though the Autumn statement has come in for some criticism from pro-brexit MP’s North West Hampshire MP Kit Malthouse believes the announcement will ensure Brexit is successfully delivered.

He said: “This Conservative Government has shown today that it is determined to maintain our strong economy and make a success of Brexit. By announcing plans to get my constituents better connected with investment in broadband, building more modern infrastructure and making sure we don’t pass a growing mountain of debt on to our children, the Chancellor has delivered.”