Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in the review of the implementation of the package of reforms they undertook to carry out by 2019 in their response to Check, challenge, appeal: Reforming business rates appeals—consultation on statutory implementation, published in March 2017; and what formal procedures are being put in place to ensure that ratepayers and their representatives have an opportunity to submit representations to that review.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government will communicate the outcomes of its review into the Check Challenge Appeal reforms in due course. We expect that the review will draw upon the formal evaluation of the new system which is being led by the Valuation Office Agency and which is currently underway. This evaluation includes engagement with ratepayers and their representatives. MHCLG and the Valuation Office Agency also work closely together to engage with ratepayers and their representatives on the new appeals system and other issues on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 12 February (218387), what are the measures and reforms which have led to the cuts to business rates in England that are worth more than £13 billion over the next five years; and what are the anticipated amounts attributable to each such measure and reform in each year of that period.
Answered by Lord Bates
Government has announced support for ratepayers in the form of more generous Small Business Rate Relief, linking the multiplier to CPI rather than RPI inflation, a new retail discount, raising the threshold for the standard multiplier, and a range of other smaller reliefs. In total, these measures are estimated to be worth over £13bn between 2019-20 and 2023-24.
This figure includes approximately £6bn for making 100% Small Business Rate Relief permanent and raising the thresholds of the relief from 2017; around £6bn for switching from RPI to CPI inflation from 2018; £0.9bn for the two-year retail discount from 2019; and an estimated £0.5bn for raising the threshold of the standard multiplier from 2017.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in the context of check-challenge-appeal it is a requirement under Regulation 22(1A) of the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009 (as amended) for the Valuation Office Agency in issuing notifications or certificates to communicate with both the ratepayer and the ratepayer's registered agent simultaneously; and if not, what is the procedure for making sure that both ratepayer and agent receive timely and accurate information necessary to progress through the process.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
It is a requirement on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) under Regulation 22(1A) of the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009 (as amended) that, at the same time certain notices relating to the progression of a case or imposition of a penalty are sent to a ratepayer’s agent they must also be provided to the ratepayer. The VOA has procedures to ensure that notices are sent to an interested party and their agent at the same time.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure prompt repayment of VAT to small building contractors where zero-rated supplies are made in connection with constructing new housing; and whether they will ensure that HMRC adheres to the 30 day target for refunds unless it has first provided compelling reasons for not doing so.
Answered by Lord Bates
On receipt of a VAT claim return, HMRC will issue an automated refund within 6 working days for the vast majority of customers, including most small business contractors.
Where there is an exception to this automated process and the customer has provided all the required information, HMRC will strive to adhere to the 30 day turnaround. Current performance level is over 95% of refunds issued within 30 days.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to publish a detailed timetable for the commencement of sections 20 to 26 of the Deregulation Act 2015 concerning public rights of way, including the date on which they propose to lay before both Houses any draft instrument for affirmative resolution; and when they propose to publish implementing regulations, guidance and circulars.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In partnership with the stakeholder working group we are making good progress developing the draft regulations and guidance. I hope to be in a position to publish a timetable in due course.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have collected that buy-to-let investors and prospective residential owner-occupiers are in competition in the market for the same properties.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Whilst private landlords are competing for properties in the same housing market as owner occupiers, the types and locations of properties that they prefer will not always be identical to owner occupiers. Recent research by the Bank of England – see https://bankunderground.co.uk/2015/07/21/five-facts-about-buy-to-let/ - shows that buy to let investors have a greater tendency to purchase apartments and properties in London than owner occupiers.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their plans for the future of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO); what they consider to be the assets of ACPO and functions hitherto exercised by its subsidiary and affiliated companies; and what is to happen to those assets and operations.
Answered by Lord Bates
Police and Crime Commissioners, with Chief Officers, are driving work to close down the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and establish a new body, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC). The intention is for ACPO to close on 31 March 2015 and for the NPCC to take over responsibility for coordination and leadership of operational policing at the national level from 1 April.
The functions of the NPCC will be:
• Co-ordination of national operations including defining, monitoring and testing force contributions to the Strategic Policing Requirement.
• Command of counter terrorism operations and delivery of counter terrorist policing through the national network as set out in the Section 22A agreement.
• Co-ordination of the national police response to national emergencies and the mobilisation of resources across force borders and internationally.
• National operational implementation of standards and policy as set by the College of Policing and Government.
• Working with the College, development of joint national approaches on criminal justice, value for money, service transformation, information management, performance management and technology.
• Working with the College (where appropriate), development of joint national approaches to staff and human resource issues (including misconduct and discipline) in line with Chief Constables’ responsibilities as employers.
Unlike ACPO, the NPCC will not be a company limited by guarantee. Instead, the NPCC will be a collaboration of police forces, hosted by the Metropolitan Police Service. Membership will be held by forces as opposed to individual members. The assets formerly held by ACPO are being assessed as part of dissolving the company.
The functions carried out by national units that formerly sat under ACPO are also being transferred to new arrangements. They will be hosted by an individual force or other body on behalf of all forces. For example, ACPO’s Criminal Records Office (ACRO) will be hosted by Hampshire Constabulary.