Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual value of corporation tax relief claimed by companies in respect of charitable donations in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important role that tax reliefs can play in supporting charitable giving. Companies can receive Corporation Tax relief on qualifying donations to charity, including monetary donations and certain gifts of assets such as land and shares.
Companies donate around £4 billion per year to charity, supported by around £1 billion a year in Corporation Tax relief on qualifying donations.
The latest available estimate of the value of Corporation Tax relief on charitable donations by companies is £880 million for the 2021-22 tax year. Annual estimates of this relief are not produced and therefore the Government is unable to provide figures for each of the last five years.
As with all taxes and reliefs, the Government keeps charitable tax reliefs under review and considers the available evidence on their effectiveness, use and impact, including any barriers within the tax system to charitable giving.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of existing tax reliefs in encouraging corporate charitable giving.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important role that tax reliefs can play in supporting charitable giving. Companies can receive Corporation Tax relief on qualifying donations to charity, including monetary donations and certain gifts of assets such as land and shares.
Companies donate around £4 billion per year to charity, supported by around £1 billion a year in Corporation Tax relief on qualifying donations.
The latest available estimate of the value of Corporation Tax relief on charitable donations by companies is £880 million for the 2021-22 tax year. Annual estimates of this relief are not produced and therefore the Government is unable to provide figures for each of the last five years.
As with all taxes and reliefs, the Government keeps charitable tax reliefs under review and considers the available evidence on their effectiveness, use and impact, including any barriers within the tax system to charitable giving.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of barriers within the tax system to increasing corporate charitable donations.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important role that tax reliefs can play in supporting charitable giving. Companies can receive Corporation Tax relief on qualifying donations to charity, including monetary donations and certain gifts of assets such as land and shares.
Companies donate around £4 billion per year to charity, supported by around £1 billion a year in Corporation Tax relief on qualifying donations.
The latest available estimate of the value of Corporation Tax relief on charitable donations by companies is £880 million for the 2021-22 tax year. Annual estimates of this relief are not produced and therefore the Government is unable to provide figures for each of the last five years.
As with all taxes and reliefs, the Government keeps charitable tax reliefs under review and considers the available evidence on their effectiveness, use and impact, including any barriers within the tax system to charitable giving.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage corporate donations in support of the Government’s priorities.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Arrangements are already in place to enable individuals and organisations to make voluntary payments or donations to government in support of general public expenditure.
GOV.UK provides guidance and steps for how the public and private businesses can make these contributions. Such donations cannot be ring-fenced for a specific purpose or area of public spending.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to delay the changes to actuarial valuations for higher education public service pension schemes until the outcomes are known of (1) the Augar Review of post-18 education and funding, and (2) the Office for National Statistics review of the treatment of student loans in the Public Sector Finances.
Answered by Lord Bates
The quadrennial valuations of public service pension schemes are ongoing. Changes arising from these valuations are due to take effect in 2019. The process is set down in primary and secondary legislation and we are committed to following it.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to provide an estimate of the cumulative financial impact on the higher education sector as a result of the actuarial valuation changes to the (1) Teachers' Pension Scheme, (2) Local Government Pension Scheme, and (3) NHS Pension Scheme.
Answered by Lord Bates
The quadrennial valuations of public service pension schemes are ongoing. Precise financial impacts will not be known until the valuations are finalised.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce minimum age limits for trade and investment in digital currencies.
Answered by Lord Bates
In line with policy on trading and investing more generally, the Government has no plans at this time to put an age limit on trading or investing in digital currencies. The Government recognises the significant benefits that digital currencies and the related technology could bring, as well as potential challenges. The Government is monitoring the situation, and believes any regulation should be proportionate and risk-based.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to send representatives to participate in discussions regarding international regulations for the digital currency sector to the G20 summit in Argentina; and whether they will report on the summit.
Answered by Lord Bates
G20 meetings happen throughout the year, culminating in the Leader’s Summit, which will take place in Argentina in late 2018. UK Government Ministers and Officials expect to fully engage in all G20 discussions throughout the year. Following the summit, a G20 communiqué summarising discussions will be published and the Government will provide a statement to both Houses as is customary.