Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling reaffirmed his support for welfare cuts after Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced £12billion of savings in social welfare this week.

From Thursday: Epsom and Ewell to "hold their breath" to see how Autumn Statement will affect them

Mr Osborne revealed his budget plans in the Autumn Statement on Wednesday, November 25, and - in a dramatic U-turn - announced he would not proceed with his controversial proposed £4.4bn cuts to tax credits.

But he also said that £12billion of welfare savings would be delivered "in full" and in a way that "helps families as we make our way to a National Living wage".

Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling backed Mr Osborne’s proposals on national television last month.

This week former justice secretary again defended the scrapped proposals to cut tax credits, and described Mr Osborne’s budget as a "sensible package" of financial plans.

Mr Grayling said: "I think we were always clear that we needed to save £12billion from the welfare budget by the end of the parliament.

"There are some tough spending cuts, but we have tried to find the right balance between investment and trying to run public bodies more efficiently around the country."

To offset the cuts to social welfare, local authorities such as Epsom and Ewell Borough Council would be able to levy a new precept of up to two per cent in council tax, which must be exclusively spent on social care.

Surrey Comet:

But dramatically Mr Osborne backed down from £4.4billion of cuts to tax credits amidst public outcry at his plans.

He said: "I have had representations that these changes to tax credits should be phased in.

"I have listened to these concerns: I hear and understand them and because I have been able to announce an improvement in the public finances, the simplest thing to do is not to phase these changes in, but to avoid them altogether."

Mr Grayling, MP for Epsom and Ewell, had accused the House of Lords of creating a "big constitutional issue" after they voted to block the cuts on Monday, October 26.

The following morning he told Good Morning Britain: "Of course it’s a difficult decision to have to take but we have a big task still ahead of us to balance the nation’s books and create a sound financial foundation for the next generation."

In a second television interview the former justice secretary told Sky News: "The truth is this was a part of our election manifesto.

"We said very clearly we were going to cut £12billion from welfare."