Following Opposition calls for an inquiry into media reporting of proposals in the Budget before it was made, Harriett Baldwin points out that it is relatively easy to speculate on many aspects of the Budget. Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con): Given that the centrepiece of the Chancellor’s Budget yesterday was an increase in the personal tax allowance that gives a tax break to 24 million people on low and middle incomes, and given that that was in the coalition agreement, does the Minister agree that a journalist would not need to be Sherlock Holmes to speculate that that increase would be in the Budget? Mr Gauke: My hon. Friend is absolutely right; that is in the coalition agreement. We have always said that we wanted to make progress on that, and I am delighted that we did yesterday. | Hansard