Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the UK economy of removing duty-free shopping for passengers arriving in the UK, and for overseas shoppers across the country.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
Duty-free on arrival would place additional pressure on the public finances to which excise duty makes a significant contribution. Tax generated by the Government helps fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education, and defence.
Although there are no plans to introduce a duty-free on arrival scheme, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the commercial interests of airports and travel hubs as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions; and whether they are considering cost-neutral measures such as duty free on arrival stores.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK’s aviation sector largely operates in a competitive private market. Government’s role is primarily to develop and implement the regulatory and policy frameworks that have helped to shape this world-leading sector. Last year we published Flightpath to the Future to set out how we will work with the sector to help it grow and return to pre-pandemic levels of demand and profitability.
The Government recognises how our extensive airport network can act as a catalyst for national and local benefits. In April, we introduced a 50% cut in domestic Air Passenger Duty (APD) to help bolster domestic connectivity, while further aligning APD with UK environmental objectives by adding a new ultra-long-haul distance band.
Although there are no plans to introduce a scheme for Duty-free on arrival stores, the Government does keep all taxes under review. On 1 January 2021, the Government did extend duty-free sales to EU-bound passengers for the first time in over 20 years. This is a significant boost to all airports and international rail terminals in England, Scotland and Wales, including smaller regional airports and rail hubs, which have not been able to offer duty-free to the EU before.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 19 May (HL7668), whether the Local Government Pension Scheme should still expect that, in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales): Governance and reporting of climate change risks consultation proposals, which closed on 24 November 2022, Local Government Pension Scheme trustees or managers will be required to produce Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures reports by December 2024.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
We recognise that clarity on the timetable for implementation will be helpful to funds as they make plans and secure appropriate advice. The Government wrote to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Advisory Board on 15 June confirming we will not be implementing any requirements related to the governance or disclosure of climate-related financial risks for the financial year 2023/24. The Government is continuing to analyse the responses received to the consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many companies provided bids for the contract to run their new emergency alert system.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following a compliant procurement process through Crown Commercial Services Tech Services 3 framework RM6100, the WP2083 Emergency Alerts contract was awarded on 10 October 2022 to Fujitsu.
2 suppliers provided bids for the contract to run the new emergency alerts system.
The Cabinet Office operates a triple gateway process of approvals to ensure compliance and transparency in procurements. All contracts are reviewed and approved by delegated Cabinet Office Commercial Heads and then published. All procurements over £10,000 are subject to Commercial approvals. All contracts are then managed by accredited Contract Managers in accordance with Cabinet Office Commercial guidance.
Contract agreements are published within 30 days in accordance with our obligations.
Separately, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (as was) issued contracts totalling £18.6 million to mobile network operators, as well as further spending on security testing and legal work.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what their latest estimate is of the take-up of Pension Credit in the past five years.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Estimates for Pension Credit take-up in a financial year are available in the “Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up” publication, which can be accessed on the statistics section of gov.uk. Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year 2019 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The latest estimates for Pension Credit take-up relate to the financial year 2019 to 2020. The table below outlines take-up estimates for this year, and the four years preceding:
Financial Year | Estimate of Pension Credit take-up |
2019 to 2020 | 66% |
2018 to 2019 | 63% |
2017 to 2018 | 61% |
2016 to 2017 | 61% |
2015 to 2016 | 61% |
Please note – methodological refinements have been applied to the data from 2016 to 2017. Therefore, comparison to previous years should be treated with caution.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the impact of quantitative easing since 2009 on the distribution of wealth by (1) age, and (2) region, across the UK.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
Monetary policy, including quantitative easing, is the responsibility of the independent Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England. The Government is working closely with the Bank to ensure that monetary and fiscal policy are well coordinated, and fully supports the Bank in their mission to drive down inflation. The Government does not comment on the conduct or effectiveness of monetary policy.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will respond to the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales): Governance and reporting of climate change risks consultation, which closed on 24 November 2022, and for which the regulations were expected to be in force by April 2023.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government is continuing to analyse the responses received to the consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many claimants currently receiving Universal Credit who are in employment or self-employment are earning (1) under £12,570 a year, (2) between £12,571 and £25,000 a year, (3) between £25,001 and £35,000 a year, (4) between £35,001 and £50,000 a year, and (5) over £50,000 a year.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit is designed to reduce as household earnings increase, so the number of high income households receiving UC would likely be very small. The level at which entitlement ends will differ depending on individual circumstances and other unearned income.
As earnings information is only available at household level this has been provided below
In January 2023 there were:
Notes:
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government which (1) social security, and (2) other taxpayer-funded benefits, are (a) taxable, and (b) tax-free.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The long-standing tax treatment of social security benefits is based on how each type of payment would otherwise be treated in income tax legislation.
Whether a benefit is taxable or exempt from income tax is set out in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA).
The position for the most common UK state benefits is summarised online at gov.uk[1].
The most common taxable State benefits include Bereavement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, contribution- based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Incapacity Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), pensions paid by the Industrial Death Benefit scheme, the State Pensions, and Widowed Parent’s Allowance. For an extensive list of taxable UK benefits please refer to section 660[2] ITEPA.
The most common tax-exempt state benefits include Attendance Allowance, Bereavement support payment, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Guardian’s Allowance, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Industrial Injuries Benefit, Maternity Allowance, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Severe Disability Allowance, Universal Credit, War Widow’s Pension, Winter Fuel Payments, and Working Tax Credit. An extensive list of UK social security benefits wholly exempt from income tax can be found at section 677[3] ITEPA.
[1] www.gov.uk/income-tax/taxfree-and-taxable-state-benefits
[2] Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)
[3] Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many claimants currently receiving Universal Credit are (1) self-employed, (2) employed, and (3) unemployed.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The total number of self-employed Universal Credit claimants in January 2023 was 493,300. This has been rounded to the nearest 100.
The latest statistics published monthly on Stat-Xplore show that, from the 5.8 million people on Universal Credit in February 2023, 2.2 million were in employment and 3.6 million were not in employment.