HM Treasury

HMRC has a duty to protect the tax system from potential fraudulent repayment claims being made which undermine both public confidence in the system and reduces the amount of money available to fund our vital public services.

Over 90 per cent of HMRC’s Income Tax Self-Assessment repayment requests come from a genuine person and are paid without suspension or intervention. However, their systems are continually under attack from fraudsters.

Over the last 8 years, HMRC have successfully countered fraudulent repayments through rigorous risk assessment and other upstream initiatives. However, the volume of attempts to defraud them has also increased and they must continually adapt their response.

A release of the information requested in these questions, including the numbers of cases worked and the outcome of those cases, could undermine the compliance activity which HMRC are undertaking. This could in turn prejudice any investigations into suspected repayment fraud.

Where a fraudster has been identified, HMRC will not give them agent codes and will suspend any codes that may already be active in order to maintain the integrity of the tax system, safeguard customer data, and protect revenues.

HMRC has a duty to protect the tax system from potential fraudulent repayment claims being made which undermine both public confidence in the system and reduces the amount of money available to fund our vital public services.

Over 90 per cent of HMRC’s Income Tax Self-Assessment repayment requests come from a genuine person and are paid without suspension or intervention. However, their systems are continually under attack from fraudsters.

Over the last 8 years, HMRC have successfully countered fraudulent repayments through rigorous risk assessment and other upstream initiatives. However, the volume of attempts to defraud them has also increased and they must continually adapt their response.

A release of the information requested in these questions, including the numbers of cases worked and the outcome of those cases, could undermine the compliance activity which HMRC are undertaking. This could in turn prejudice any investigations into suspected repayment fraud.

Where a fraudster has been identified, HMRC will not give them agent codes and will suspend any codes that may already be active in order to maintain the integrity of the tax system, safeguard customer data, and protect revenues.

The Government and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) are committed to creating a more resilient debt advice sector, which will drive better quality of advice and customer outcomes over the longer term.

As per their update of 17 December 2021, MaPS have evaluated the bids for the regional lot and concluded that the services being offered through submissions would not represent value for money or adequately meet the need of people in vulnerable circumstances. Over the coming months, MaPS intends to work closely with stakeholders to identify the best ways to deliver locally based debt advice provision in England and how best to procure these services on a longer-term basis. MaPS will provide more details on how they intend to carry out this engagement in the coming months.

The Government is committed to supporting hospitality venues throughout this challenging period.

The COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) is designed to provide support to businesses affected by COVID-19 that have not been covered by existing support linked to business rates. This relief will be awarded through funding for Local Authorities (LAs), taking into account the economic impact COVID-19 has had on specific sectors. It is for LAs to award relief based on their local schemes and applications received, while having regard to the guidance.

The Government is also providing an Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG) worth up to £6,000 to eligible businesses. If a hospitality venue generates more than 50% of its income from providing in-person food and drink services, then they will be eligible to receive this. Hospitality venues not eligible for the OHLG may be able to apply for support from the Additional Restrictions Grant, which was increased by over £100 million in response to the Omicron variant.

Furthermore, as announced at Autumn Budget 2021, the duty rates on alcohol, including beer, will be frozen for another year. This is expected to save consumers £3 billion over the coming years and will save beer drinkers £900 million. Beer duty rates are now at their lowest level in real terms since the 1990s.

The Government believes the reforms announced at the Budget will produce an alcohol duty system that is overall simpler, fairer and healthier.

The reforms announced at Autumn Budget 2021 mean higher strength still wines will pay more duty, while lighter wines (below 11.5% alcohol by volume – ABV) will become cheaper.

The Government also announced that the 28% higher duty rate on sparkling wine will be abolished, so that sparkling wines will pay considerably less duty in future. From 2023 sparkling and still wines of the same strength will pay the same duty.

The Government is continuing to engage with industry – including small businesses – for further information about the effect of the changes on them. Industry members are encouraged to respond to the alcohol review consultation before the deadline of 30 January 2022.

Ministers regularly meet with departmental officials and external stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found here: HMT ministers' meetings, hospitality, gifts and overseas travel - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There has not been an occasion in which any Chancellor between 2019 – 2021 has made use of any VIP suites at Heathrow Airport while on official business.

The UK has led international efforts to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang at the UN. We have imposed sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on senior Chinese officials and taken steps to help ensure that no UK organisations are complicit in these violations through their supply chains.

However, we can also pursue an economic relationship with China in a safe, mutually beneficial way without compromising our values. UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogues (EFDs) provide a key mechanism for doing this. We have always been clear that our economic relationship does not come at the expense of human rights, and where we have concerns, we will continue to speak out and act.

The Government recognises the recent increase in wholesale global gas prices will be a cause of concern for consumers, businesses, and energy suppliers across the UK.

There is a wide range of Government support in place to support consumers with their energy costs. The Energy Price Cap has been shielding millions of consumers from the volatility in the wholesale markets, and the Government is supporting low income and fuel poor households with their energy bills in a number of ways, the total value of this support being £2.5 billion a year including:

• The Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with a £140 discount.

• Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments, which help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.

There is also support available this winter through the £500m Household Support Fund, which helps those in greatest need with the cost of essentials over the coming months.

The Government has also taken decisive action to support low-income working households on Universal Credit by cutting the taper rate from 63p to 55p and increasing work allowances by £500 a year. These changes are effectively a tax cut for low paid households on Universal Credit worth £2.2 billion in 2022-23 and mean that 1.9 million households will keep on average around an extra £1,000 on an annual basis.

In the long-term, the best way to reduce energy bills for households is to invest in energy efficiency. The Government has allocated over £500 million to Local Authorities this year for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Sustainable Warmth programmes. These schemes will help reduce low-income households’ energy use through efficiency improvements, which are estimated to save participants an average of £350-450 per year on their energy bills. At the Spending Review, an additional £1.8bn was confirmed to accelerate these programmes over the next three years.

Special Development Orders (SDOs) are a long-established part of the planning system, designed for handling planning proposals of national significance. The SDO route has therefore been chosen because it allows permission to be granted in a timely manner whilst also providing effective mechanisms to ensure development is appropriate.

The proposals for a Dover Inland Border Facility have been subject to two rounds of public engagement as well as ongoing informal engagement with local stakeholders. Comments on the previous proposals have been considered and have informed the current proposals. All comments, including those previously received, will be included in any formal submission under the SDO.

HMRC does not hold the information requested. Traders pay customs duty and import VAT based on calculated liabilities for goods, either immediately or on a monthly basis via duty deferment accounts. The subsequent revenue collected is not recorded on a product or sector basis, and thus no breakdown by product or country of origin is held.

In accordance with the Special Development Order (SDO) Regulations, an Analysis of the Likely Environmental Effects of the Development Report and a Habitat Regulations Assessment Screening Report have been undertaken for the Dover Inland Border Facility (IBF) scheme. The reports have concluded that there are no significant effects on the environment from the proposals.

The inclusion of initiatives incorporated into the site masterplan for the Dover IBF will be delivered through the retention and protection of the key ecological features and further enhancements. In conjunction with these initiatives, the site has been designed to minimise carbon emissions and a carbon assessment will be submitted as part of the SDO.

HMRC’s teams are developing key features as part of the Dover Inland Border Facility (IBF) development to ensure their wider goal of reducing carbon impacts. These include reducing the environmental impact, enhancing the socio-economic standing of the areas and surrounding sites, and working to achieve a Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method – ‘Very Good’ rating.

The inclusion of initiatives incorporated into the site masterplan for the Dover IBF will be delivered through the retention and protection of key ecological features. This includes the formation of a landscape buffer between the operational areas of the proposed development and the local residential area. The colour scheme of the proposed buildings is being designed in accordance with the guidance published by the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the buildings themselves are adaptable for re-use elsewhere if required.

External lighting on the site has been designed to minimise any potential effects in accordance with the appropriate British Standards. In conjunction with these initiatives, the site has been designed to minimise carbon emissions and will include an engine off policy when vehicles are parked. Electric hook up provision will be provided on site to allow goods vehicles with refrigeration units to be powered whilst parked. Electric vehicle charging will also be provided on site. The scheme has been designed to encourage methods of sustainable travel for site staff, including a cycle lane and promoting public transport over car travel.

The Government regularly monitors personal debt levels by working closely with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Government also engages regularly with a range of stakeholders in the debt advice sector on their research and findings.

The FCA conducts a biennial Financial Lives Survey which provides a comprehensive insight into the finances of the UK population. The latest findings from the survey were published in February 2021, which also analysed the impact of the pandemic on people’s finances. The results showed that between March and October 2020, the number of people with low financial resilience increased by 3.5 million, from 10.7 million to 14.2 million.

MaPS monitors financial difficulty through their research, in particular the Debt Need Survey. MaPS will publish the results of their 2021 Debt Need Survey early this calendar year, which will include a regional breakdown of their new Need for Debt Advice measure.

As detailed in the answer to Question 38132, technical discussions on the text of the Memorandum of Understanding on financial services regulatory cooperation have concluded. The Government is ready to sign but further steps are required on the EU side before the MoU will come into effect and the UK-EU Forum can be convened.

The government has published information on the annual revenues that will be generated from the Plastic Packaging Tax. This can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax-from-april-2022/introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax-2021

There are a range of policies which cover how working time operates in HMRC. These policies also apply to homeworkers.

• HR28000 Working Time Regulations policy: applies to all employees, including contractual homeworkers, and includes:

‘what counts as working time: work performed away from the normal place of work, for example drafting a document at home.’

• HR25005 Contractual homeworking policy: includes the ‘how to make contractual homeworking work well’ toolkit which states:

‘What does HMRC expect of homeworkers? …Basically HMRC expects the same standards from homeworkers as all other employees. You'll still be bound by Our Commitments and the HMRC values, and all the HR policies will still apply to you. You'll be expected to agree your working hours with your manager as normal…’

‘Working hours: The same flexibility exists for contractual homeworkers to ask for help to achieve a better work life balance, or deal with life changing events. It's important to discuss and explore with your manager if you need to consider more flexibility in when and how long you work for…’

• HR25601 When we work policy: provides an overview of working time in HMRC and applies to all employees, including contractual homeworkers. This includes these fundamental principles:

‘HMRC ‘standard operating hours’ are 07:00 to 20:00 from Monday to Saturday. Working time is time when you are undertaking the work required to deliver your role. You will only be paid, or receive a flexi credit, for times when you are performing the duties that are required to carry out your role. Working time is therefore any period of time in which you are:

1. working; and
2. carrying out your duties; and
3. at HMRC’s disposal (that is, required to be in a specific place and to be ready to work at a specified time for HMRC’s benefit); or
4. receiving ‘relevant training’ (agreed for the purposes of HMRC employment); or
5. any additional period which is agreed in a relevant agreement to be working time (for example, undertaking trade union duties).

• HMRC sets the hours you are required to work and how those hours are to be worked. This will be set out within contracts of employment and/or as part of Directorate Working Arrangements. These may require you to work shifts or variable or unsocial hours, including weekends and public and privilege holidays.
• Working Time Regulations mean you should normally work no more than an average of 48 hours per week within each reference period of 17 weeks.
• Break times do not contribute toward working time and as such are not paid. There may be local arrangements on the approach to breaks, which if relevant, will be set out as part of any applicable Directorate Working Arrangements.
• Most of us will carry out the duties required of our roles within Standard Operating Hours, but some roles may require you, either on a temporary or permanent basis, to work outside of these times. Where this is the case, HMRC will be clear about the requirement and the agreed arrangements. HMRC expects you to apply the same consideration offered on flexibility to reasonable management requests.’

• HR25200 Balancing home and office working: this policy applies to all employees, including contractual homeworkers, and includes these relevant statements:

‘As part of your usual performance development conversation, you and your manager should discuss your homeworking arrangements to make sure they are working for you, to address any concerns that may arise and to ensure the arrangements are meeting the needs of our customers, those of the wider team and your personal needs.’ And ‘You should agree with your manager any times you will not be available, or if something occurs which means you cannot work, whilst working at home (as you would when in an office). If you are unwell on a working from home day you should take the time off if you are unfit for work. You should follow the Supporting your attendance policy in the usual way.’

• HR35001 Working your hours flexibly in HMRC: Flexible working hours (flexi) approach: applies to all employees, including contractual homeworkers, and describes how the flexible working hours scheme works. It includes this statement:

‘Working Hours: In general, colleagues will work in line with their contracted daily and weekly hours and in line with any Directorate Working Arrangements. You are not expected to work longer than a 10-hour day, excluding breaks. However, there may be occasions when a longer day is required, for instance if you are travelling to a location other than your usual place of work.’

HMRC enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). BEIS funds HMRC to deliver this activity.

For the year 2019-20, HMRC were given a budget allocation of £26.3 million. In the year 2020-21 this was increased to £26.4 million. The vast majority of the NMW funding allocation is invested in front line NMW compliance activity so that HMRC can provide adequate coverage across the UK. HMRC aim to keep their resourcing level at a minimum of 410 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff. There are many factors that impact on their level of resourcing, including staff moves and pay settlements.

The total number of FTE staff employed by HMRC, working out of 12 regions across the country, to carry out NMW enforcement and compliance in the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 is provided in the table below.

The table shows where the staff were located but this does not necessarily mean these staff were working on cases linked to the locations given. HMRC deploy a national resource deployment model, to enable them to flexibly deploy their resource to deal with the highest risk area.

HMRC enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). BEIS funds HMRC to deliver this activity.

For the year 2019-20, HMRC were given a budget allocation of £26.3 million. In the year 2020-21 this was increased to £26.4 million. The vast majority of the NMW funding allocation is invested in front line NMW compliance activity so that HMRC can provide adequate coverage across the UK. HMRC aim to keep their resourcing level at a minimum of 410 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff. There are many factors that impact on their level of resourcing, including staff moves and pay settlements.

The total number of FTE staff employed by HMRC, working out of 12 regions across the country, to carry out NMW enforcement and compliance in the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 is provided in the table below.

The table shows where the staff were located but this does not necessarily mean these staff were working on cases linked to the locations given. HMRC deploy a national resource deployment model, to enable them to flexibly deploy their resource to deal with the highest risk area.

In January 2011, the Government announced its intention to introduce further regulation in relation to the sale of regulated mortgage contracts to unregulated firms. Following a review, the Government decided that it would not take forward legislation but would instead keep the position of contracts sold to unregulated firms under review and return to legislation if there was sufficient evidence of consumer detriment.

The Government remains open to further regulation but is yet to see evidence that any consumer harm has occurred under the current regulatory regime that would have been prevented by the proposed regulation. Under the current regulatory regime, firms administering regulated mortgages, including third-party administrators, must be regulated. This means that they are subject to relevant provisions of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Mortgage Conduct of Business requirements, including provisions regarding the fair treatment of customers in arrears. It is also worth noting that further regulation of this kind would not necessarily enable borrowers to switch to a cheaper mortgage deal or to materially lower the interest rates they pay.

In response to calls that current law on economic crime may require reform, the Government carried out a Call for Evidence in 2017 and published its response in November 2020. This is an extremely complex area of the law and the public consultation unfortunately proved inconclusive.

The Government has therefore asked the Law Commission to undertake an in-depth review of the laws around corporate criminal liability for economic crime and - if considered necessary - make recommendations on proportionate and appropriate options for reform. The Commission is aiming to publish an Options Paper shortly.

It is important that we get this right, and any reforms must be proportionate and evidence-based. We intend to engage with the Law Commission on the findings of the review once it has concluded.

HMRC does not have a direct contract with Bounty Joy Limited as they are a subcontractor of HMRC’s print provider Communisis.

However, any personal data that is completed on the Child Benefit claim form is returned directly to HMRC and would not be provided to Bounty Joy Limited.

HMRC, in line with all other creditors, submit their claims in any insolvency event. The appointed Insolvency Practitioner will, as funds and assets are realised, distribute dividends to creditors. Any dividends issued are in relation to total debts rather than individual parts of creditors’ claims. Identifying VAT contributions is therefore not possible in any HMRC cases, including DMB Solutions Ltd.

Information about Child Benefit and the Child Benefit claims process is available for all new parents on GOV.UK.

Regular communications activity to encourage take-up is issued throughout the year in a variety of formats including via press release and social media posts, and by working with pregnancy and parenting organisations such as Bounty and Emma’s Diary.

In addition to monthly Child Benefit payments, these communications also reference the non-monetary benefits such as National Insurance credits – and provide information about the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

The Child Benefit claim form is included in Bounty Packs which are distributed to all new mothers on maternity wards. Although access to maternity wards for Bounty representatives has been limited throughout the pandemic, Bounty have continued to supply the packs to maternity wards as usual, to be handed to new mothers by hospital staff.

During the pandemic, communications also promoted an easement that temporarily relaxed the policy requirement for Child Benefit claimants to provide a birth registration certificate as part of their claim – as part of additional efforts to ensure new parents were able to overcome pandemic-related disruption and access the support to which they were entitled. This easement ended on 31 October 2021.

We continue to look for effective channels to reach new mothers with information about Child Benefit and the Child Benefit claims process – including via the General Register Office and the Department for Work and Pensions.

HMRC do not have a direct contract with Bounty Joy Ltd.

HMRC’s Customer Communication Services Contract is with Communisis UK Ltd. Communisis have a sub-contractor relationship with Bounty Joy Ltd.

Child Benefit claim forms are included in birth packs handed out to new parents by Bounty representatives on maternity wards. Bounty representatives do not have an official role in explaining Child Benefit eligibility criteria, nor the possible implications of not submitting a claim. This information is, however, included on the front page of the Child Benefit claim form.

Although access to maternity wards for Bounty representatives has been limited throughout the pandemic, Bounty have continued to supply the packs to maternity wards as usual, to be handed to new mothers by hospital staff.

Qualifying Years for State Pension can be accrued in different ways: National Insurance (NI) contributions whilst individuals are working or self-employed; by being credited with NI credits whilst being in receipt of certain benefits (including for Child Benefit); and through making voluntary NI contributions. As an individual’s NI record can be filled in a number of ways not all individuals will require the National Insurance credits that come with Child Benefit.

HMRC do not have a direct contract with Bounty Joy Ltd.

HMRC’s Customer Communication Services Contract is with Communisis UK Ltd. Communisis have a sub-contractor relationship with Bounty Joy Ltd.

Child Benefit claim forms are included in birth packs handed out to new parents by Bounty representatives on maternity wards. Bounty representatives do not have an official role in explaining Child Benefit eligibility criteria, nor the possible implications of not submitting a claim. This information is, however, included on the front page of the Child Benefit claim form.

Although access to maternity wards for Bounty representatives has been limited throughout the pandemic, Bounty have continued to supply the packs to maternity wards as usual, to be handed to new mothers by hospital staff.

Qualifying Years for State Pension can be accrued in different ways: National Insurance (NI) contributions whilst individuals are working or self-employed; by being credited with NI credits whilst being in receipt of certain benefits (including for Child Benefit); and through making voluntary NI contributions. As an individual’s NI record can be filled in a number of ways not all individuals will require the National Insurance credits that come with Child Benefit.

HMRC does not have a direct contract with Bounty Joy Limited, however they are a sub-contractor of HMRC’s print provider Communisis. As such, Bounty Joy Limited do not receive any direct payment from HMRC.

Changes were made to the Child Benefit Claim Form (CH2) in April 2021 to align wording across different versions of the form in response to user feedback from GOV.UK and to ensure consistency of language throughout the CH2. These changes included minor adjustments to drafting to aid clarity and formatting changes to align with other versions of the form.

We are taking targeted action to help families with the cost of living, including through freezing fuel and alcohol duties, the energy price cap, the Warm Home Discount and the £500m Household Support Fund to help the most vulnerable families this winter.

In the longer term the best approach to managing the cost of living is to get people into work and help them progress – which we are doing through our Plan for Jobs.

We are also making work pay. We are doing this by reducing the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55% and increasing work allowances by £500 per year, which means that 1.9m households will on average keep around an extra £1,000 on an annual basis, as well as increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour for workers aged 23 and over, which is expected to benefit over 2 million workers.

VAT is charged on the supply of most bottled drinks and in such cases, where the price of a drink includes a deposit on the bottle, VAT is due on the whole price.

This is in line with the VAT principle that applies to deposits generally. It is also consistent with the rules in some other countries with a deposit return scheme.

The Government supports the environmental aims of the deposit return schemes and will continue working to ensure they operate effectively within the VAT rules, including exploring the issues with those involved in designing and implementing such schemes.

VAT is charged on the supply of most bottled drinks and in such cases, where the price of a drink includes a deposit on the bottle, VAT is due on the whole price.

This is in line with the VAT principle that applies to deposits generally. It is also consistent with the rules in some other countries with a deposit return scheme.

The Government supports the environmental aims of the deposit return schemes and will continue working to ensure they operate effectively within the VAT rules, including exploring the issues with those involved in designing and implementing such schemes.

VAT is charged on the supply of most bottled drinks and in such cases, where the price of a drink includes a deposit on the bottle, VAT is due on the whole price.

This is in line with the VAT principle that applies to deposits generally. It is also consistent with the rules in some other countries with a deposit return scheme.

The Government supports the environmental aims of the deposit return schemes and will continue working to ensure they operate effectively within the VAT rules, including exploring the issues with those involved in designing and implementing such schemes.

HMRC does not have a direct contract with Bounty Joy Limited, they are a sub-contractor of HMRC’s print provider Communisis. As such, there are no contract terms to monitor.

The Government supports the environmental aims of deposit return schemes and will continue working to ensure they operate effectively within the VAT rules.

VAT is charged on the supply of most bottled drinks and in such cases, where the price of a drink includes a deposit on the bottle, VAT is due on the whole price. This is in line with the VAT principle that applies to deposits generally. It is also consistent with the rules in some other countries with a deposit return scheme.

Her Majesty’s Treasury continues to engage with the industry, including soft drinks producers, to explore the issues around the design and implementation of deposit return schemes.

We recognise the recent increase in wholesale global gas prices will be a cause of concern for consumers, businesses, and energy suppliers across the UK.

Consumers have been shielded from price volatility this winter by the Energy Price Cap. The Government is also supporting low income and fuel poor households with their energy bills in a number of ways, including:

• Consulting on expanding The Warm Home Discount, which currently provides eligible households with a £140 discount.
• Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments, which help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.
• The £500m Household Support Fund, which helps those in greatest need with the cost of essentials over the coming months.
• The Government has allocated over £500 million to help households improve energy efficiency this year through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Sustainable Warmth programmes.

The increase in the price of wholesale gas is a global issue. We will continue to keep options to further support households under review. In the longer term, Government will look to reduce our reliance on global gas prices by moving to a cleaner, more resilient energy system and improve energy efficiency to help keep bills down.

The Government considers current funding options for local authorities to pursue environmental projects to be appropriate. Local authorities have full, independent control over their borrowing choices and are free to issue local climate bonds if they wish. It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate financing mechanism for their projects.

The Government provides accessible, low-cost lending via the Public Works Loan Board which can be used to finance environmental projects, and environmental projects could also be funded via the UK Infrastructure Bank where they meet the bank’s mandate.

In addition, the UK Green Financing Programme has raised £16bn to date, which will be used to finance projects that help tackle climate change and other environmental challenges – some of which local authorities may benefit from.

The Plastic Packaging Tax will provide a clear economic incentive to use recycled material in the production of plastic packaging. This will create greater demand for recycled material and, in turn, stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste. As set out at Budget 2018 when the tax was first announced, future revenues raised from the tax will enable investment to address single-use plastics, waste and litter.

Alongside this, the government’s commitments in the Resources and Waste Strategy will help to stimulate private investment in reprocessing and recycling infrastructure. The introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers alongside Collection and Packaging Reforms such as Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and consistency in household and business recycling in England are expected to increase and incentivise appetite for commercial infrastructure investment.

Environmental and social policy costs represent around 12% of the average dual energy bill, however over the past 10 years their net effect has been to reduce consumer energy bills. Investment in renewables and energy efficiency has reduced UK demand for natural gas by 26% since 2010. This has helped reduce our exposure to global price volatility.

While the majority of these costs represent contractual obligations to fund previous investments in renewables, we need to ensure our green policies are fit for the future, and Government keeps all costs on bills under review.

This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply directly to the noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply directly to the noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply directly to the noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Firms are required by FCA rules to include a representative APR in certain circumstances. The FCA’s handbook provides further rules and guidance on when a representative APR must be shown, how it should be denoted and the level of prominence it must be given.

If an advertisement includes an interest rate or any amount relating to the cost of credit, it must also include a representative example. This must contain certain standard information including a representative APR. The example must be clear and concise and must be no less prominent than the information that triggered the inclusion of the example.

If a customer is concerned that they have been mis-sold a credit agreement, the customer can make a formal complaint to the firm in question in the first instance. If they feel that their complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily, they are able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) – an independent body set up to provide arbitration in such cases.

Following the end of the transition period, sales from UK businesses to the EU are exports and are zero-rated for VAT purposes. This means that the UK business seller should not charge UK VAT on the sale and should retain evidence of export.

How goods sent to the EU are treated upon import into the EU is a matter for the EU. On 1 July 2021, the EU removed low value consignment relief for VAT on imported goods not exceeding €22 and introduced a new optional simplification scheme for the collection and payment of VAT on goods not exceeding €150, known as the Import One Stop Shop.

The UK does not provide an impact assessment of policy measures that are introduced outside of the UK by jurisdictions.

Nonetheless, the Government appreciates that small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are more likely to find the changes to trading with the EU challenging. In response, following the end of the transition period, the Government introduced the SME Brexit Support Fund, which closed to new applications on 30 June 2021. The Recovery Loan Scheme has continued to provide support since then. This helps businesses of any size access loans and other kinds of finance so they can recover after the pandemic and the transition period. Loans are available through a network of accredited lenders which are listed on the British Business Bank's website.