As this column is called ‘House Notes’, it is only fair to point out that house matters have not been far from my mind for the past month.

There is always a risk in writing a column that, by the time readers get to see it, the article is already out of date. 

The past month has been an exceptionally busy time in Westminster with tax – my Ministerial responsibility – never far from the headlines.

David Gauke writes...A Budget for growth, not just for deficit reduction.