Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they will give to the Official Development Assistance budget for overseas aid in the forthcoming Autumn Budget statement.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to restoring ODA spending at the level of 0.7 percent of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow. The Government is currently undertaking a Spending Review and will set out its approach in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they will put in place to mitigate the administrative burden on firms sending business-to-business parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland following the full implementation of customs controls under the Windsor Framework from autumn.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to delivering the Windsor Framework. It has carried out extensive engagement with businesses (including parcel carriers) to implement the changes agreed under the Windsor Framework for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to communicate the next stage of the implementation of the Windsor Framework in autumn to businesses in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to delivering the Windsor Framework. It has carried out extensive engagement with businesses (including parcel carriers) to implement the changes agreed under the Windsor Framework for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive, since the restoration of devolved institutions in Northern Ireland on 3 February, about financial allocations from the Treasury.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The UK Government has regular discussions with its devolved administration counterparts, including the Northern Ireland Executive.
Since the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has met with the Northern Ireland Finance Minister on three occasions.
UK Government officials continue to engage regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of all aspects of the UK Government’s £3.3 billion restoration financial package which will stabilise and transform Northern Ireland’s public finances.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation contained in The National Food Strategy, published on 15 July 2021, to introduce a Sugar and Salt Reformulation Tax.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
There are no current plans to introduce a Sugar and Salt Reformulation Tax. The Government published its response to the National Food Strategy on 13 June 2022, setting out the approach to working with the food industry to create a healthier food environment for all and investing in innovative approaches to address weight and diet related ill health.
However, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) encourages producers to remove added sugar from soft drinks. It has been very successful in this aim, with a reduction of sugar in soft drinks of 46% between 2015 and 2020.
The Government remains committed to helping people live healthier lives. Having a fit and healthy population is essential for a thriving economy, and reducing sugar and salt in food remains a priority for the Government through the voluntary reformulation and reduction programme.
The Government keeps all taxes under constant review and welcomes representations from stakeholders to inform policy development.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to other food and drink products that are high in sugar.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The primary aim of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) is to encourage producers to remove added sugar from soft drinks. It has been very successful in this aim, with a reduction of sugar in soft drinks of 46% between 2015 and 2020.
There are no current plans to extend SDIL to other food and drink products. As with all taxes, the Government keeps SDIL under constant review and welcomes representations from stakeholders to inform policy development.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their announcement in the Autumn Statement that they will consult on a framework for encouraging captive insurance companies in the UK, whether they will propose that such captive insurers will remain liable to the same solvency requirements as other insurers.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
In Spring this year, the Government will publish a consultation on the design of a new UK regime for captive insurance companies.
The consultation will test views on proposals to introduce an attractive and competitive new UK captive insurance regime that works for businesses. Key to this will also be proportionate regulation that maintains the UK’s high regulatory standards.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement in the Autumn Statement 2023, published in November 2023 (CPP 977), that "the government will consult on the design of a new framework for encouraging the establishment and growth of captive insurance companies in the UK", whether they have plans for captive insurers to be automatically treated as low-risk undertakings.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
In Spring this year, the Government will publish a consultation on the design of a new UK regime for captive insurance companies.
The consultation will test views on proposals to introduce an attractive and competitive new UK captive insurance regime that works for businesses. Key to this will also be proportionate regulation that maintains the UK’s high regulatory standards.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to extend the Household Support Fund beyond its scheduled end date of 31 March 2024.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given to PQ196466
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they plan to introduce to financially support vulnerable and marginalised members of our communities in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has taken steps to protect the most vulnerable in society.
At Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced Cost of Living Payments in 2023-24, including up to £900 for households on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioner households and £150 for individuals on disability benefits.
In April 2023, working-age and disability benefits rose in line with September 2022 Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation – 10.1%. As a result, more than 10 million working age families will have seen their benefit payments rise by an average increase of around £600 a year for those on Universal Credit.
This year (2023/24), the Government has also increased the State Pension by 10.1 per cent, in line with inflation and the Triple Lock. This delivered the biggest ever cash increase in the State Pension.
The Government is working hard to ensure that all families with children have access to the resources and assistance they need to thrive. The Government is introducing 30 hours of free childcare per week for working parents with children aged 9 months up to 3 years in England, alongside a substantial uplift to the hourly rate paid to providers.