Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their commitment to spend 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2030 has been incorporated into the Treasury’s baseline budgets.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The Prime Minister recently set out our pledge: to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. That increase starts immediately, rising each year, and will see defence spending rise to £87 billion a year by 2030/31. This is the biggest strengthening of our defence since the Cold War.
The commitment will be fully funded, with no increases in borrowing or debt.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the break-down of the planned cuts to be made to each government department's research and development budget to help fund the commitment to spend 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
We have committed to increase government R&D spending by £2 billion, from £20 billion in 2024-25 to £22 billion in the next Parliament.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the local economy of restricted access to free to use ATMs.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
Information on ATM numbers by Parliamentary Constituency is publicly available on the LINK website.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator, which regulates LINK, is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments.
LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. Furthermore, LINK recently announced new additional premiums to safeguard the presence of free-to-use ATMs in remote and deprived areas.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of towns without free access to the ATM network.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
Information on ATM numbers by Parliamentary Constituency is publicly available on the LINK website.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator, which regulates LINK, is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments.
LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. Furthermore, LINK recently announced new additional premiums to safeguard the presence of free-to-use ATMs in remote and deprived areas.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions his Department has had with LINK on the interchange rate for ATMs.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
The Government recognises that widespread access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government is continuing to engage with the regulators and industry, including LINK, on this issue.
LINK has cancelled its third interchange fee reduction, due in January 2020, and put on hold its fourth reduction, due in January 2021, pending further review.
The Payment Systems Regulator, who regulates LINK, has welcomed these adjustments, having stated that LINK must carefully review its decisions on interchange fees to reflect changing market conditions.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, where the new University Enterprise Zones announced in Budget 2018 will be; and by what process that decision was reached.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government announced £5m towards University Enterprise Zones in the Budget. The locations of these have not yet been decided. The process for awarding funding is currently being developed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the new business rates relief announced in Budget 2018 on local authority finances.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Budget confirmed that local government will be fully compensated for the loss of income that results from changes to business rates announced in the Budget.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether local authorities that see a reduction in funding as a result of the change to business rates will receive additional funding from central Government.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Budget confirmed that local government will be fully compensated for the loss of income that results from changes to business rates announced in the Budget.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the Treasury Approval note relating to the Defence Fire and Rescue project.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Defence Fire and Rescue Project aims to identify whether an industry service provider will provide increased value for money in the delivery of a worldwide Defence Fire and Rescue Service. A decision on the outcome of this project will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2018 to Question 128648 on Treasury: Tableware, which subcontractors supply his Department with its tableware.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The subcontractor who supplies HM Treasury with its tableware is Baxter Story Plc.