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Written Question
Public Expenditure: Brexit
Thursday 27th October 2022

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how much money was saved by the UK leaving the EU; and how this money has been spent.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The UK Government has determined an additional £14.6 billion of spending by 2024-25 can be allocated to its domestic priorities, rather than be sent in contributions to the EU. This additional spending was included in the overall spending plans that the government set out at previous Spending Reviews. The last Spending Review in 2021 set departmental budgets up to 2024-25. Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 plans are set out on the gov.uk website.
Written Question
Tax Allowances
Wednesday 23rd June 2021

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what potential tax incentives they have (1) discussed, and (2) implemented, in support of the news publishing industry.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

The Government recognises the important role that media organisations, including the news publishing industry, play at a national and local level. In order to support them, the Government extended the £1,500 business rates discount on local newspaper office space in England until 31 March 2025.

On 1 May 2020, the Government extended the zero rate of VAT to e-publications to support literacy and reading and make it clear that e-books, e-newspapers, e-magazines and academic e-journals are entitled to the same VAT treatment as their physical counterparts. Originally due to be implemented in December 2020, the introduction of the zero rate was brought forward as a boost for readers and publishers during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Government keeps all tax policy under review and regularly receives proposals for sector-specific tax reliefs.


Written Question
Loans: Ethnic Groups
Tuesday 27th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether banks are being encouraged to lend to entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities; and what plans they have, if any, to improve the lending rate to such entrepreneurs.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

The Government remains committed to supporting individuals and businesses of all backgrounds access the finance they need and continues to engage with the private sector on this important issue. Since March 2020, the Government has introduced a collection of emergency loan guarantee schemes available to businesses of all backgrounds which collectively approved more than £75 billion worth of finance through more than 1.6 million facilities.

The ‘Future Fund’, launched in May 2020, also provides investment to high-growth companies impacted by covid, made up of funding from government and the private sector. As of 25 March, the Fund has committed over £1.2 billion to support over 1,200 companies of all shapes and sizes, in every region of the country, and across a variety of sectors. Senior management teams consisting solely of ethnic minority team members and those with both ethnic minority and White team members account for 61.6% of funding to companies that have been approved for Convertible Loan Agreements so far, worth £683.5m.

In addition, entrepreneurs of all backgrounds may be able to access finance through the Start Up Loans program that operates through a network of local delivery partners and is managed by Start Up Loans, a subsidiary of the British Business Bank. As at 30 June 2020, the Start Up Loans program had delivered more than 73,700 loans, providing more than £610m of funding. Entrepreneurs interested in exploring their finance options further may also visit the British Business Bank’s Finance Hub to understand and identify suitable finance options to help their business to grow.
Written Question
Political Parties: Coronavirus
Wednesday 31st March 2021

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government which political parties have claimed (1) furlough payments, or (2) other emergency funding related to the COVID-19 pandemic, since March 2020; and what amount was paid to each one.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

Due to HMRC’s duty of confidentiality, HMRC cannot publish identifying information that relates to their functions, which includes the coronavirus financial support schemes, unless there is an appropriate legal basis for publication. No such legal basis was in place for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) prior to 12 November 2020 when the CJRS Direction extending the scheme from 1 November was signed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

In line with the direction that was published on 12 November, as part of HMRC’s commitment to transparency and to deter fraudulent claims, HMRC published information about employers who claimed for December[1] and will continue to do so on a monthly basis.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-who-have-claimed-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme


Written Question
Parliamentary Estate: Security
Thursday 4th February 2021

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans there are to ensure that those requiring access to the Parliamentary estate can renew their passes efficiently once the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.

Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith

A large backlog of expired or new passes has built up during the pandemic and systems and plans are in place to deal with this once the COVID-19 restrictions start to ease. Extensive communications are going out to all passholders to remind them to check the expiry date on their pass before they return, and to send in a renewal application if it has expired or will expire shortly.

An appointments system has been introduced for anyone returning to the Parliamentary estate who needs to collect a pass, so that the flow of people into the Pass Issuing Offices can be managed in a way that avoids long queues and respects social distancing. A new Pass Issuing Office is expected to open shortly, which will double the number of customer services desks currently offered by the two existing Pass Issuing Offices. The new Office will ultimately replace one of the existing Offices, however all three will remain open over the summer to help manage any peaks in demand that may arise as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Consideration is being given to extending the opening hours of the Pass Issuing Offices during periods of high demand, and contingency arrangements, such as opening desks in Portcullis House and other locations on the estate to issue renewal passes if the Issuing Offices risk being overwhelmed, are also being considered.

These measures will be kept under review as access restrictions change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.


Written Question
Brexit: Costs
Tuesday 5th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount they have budgeted to cover the total cost of the UK’s departure from the EU, including the end of the transition period.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

HM Treasury has made available £9.7 billion of additional funding to support EU Exit and the Transition in any outcome between financial years 2016-17 and 2020-21. As part of this funding, HM Treasury has made available £3.6 billion of additional funding in 2020-21. This includes £2 billion of allocations made at Spending Round 2019 as well as more recent allocations, such as the additional £705 million of border funding announced in July 2020 to support HMRC and other departments’ delivery of new border arrangements. All funding for 2020-21 will be confirmed at Supplementary Estimates 2020, to be published in the new year.

Spending Review 2020 also allocates over £2 billion for 2021-22 to support departments following the end of the Transition. This includes £1 billion for HMRC to reform and enhance the UK customs system and £363 million for the Home Office to maintain law enforcement cooperation with EU member states and recruit Border Force officers to deliver transit customs arrangements.


Written Question
Brexit: Costs
Tuesday 5th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to the UK of the negotiations leading up to the UK’s departure from the EU, including the negotiations for any future free trade agreement with the EU.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

HM Treasury has made available £9.7 billion of additional funding to support EU Exit and the Transition in any outcome between financial years 2016-17 and 2020-21. As part of this funding, HM Treasury has made available £3.6 billion of additional funding in 2020-21. This includes £2 billion of allocations made at Spending Round 2019 as well as more recent allocations, such as the additional £705 million of border funding announced in July 2020 to support HMRC and other departments’ delivery of new border arrangements. All funding for 2020-21 will be confirmed at Supplementary Estimates 2020, to be published in the new year.

Spending Review 2020 also allocates over £2 billion for 2021-22 to support departments following the end of the Transition. This includes £1 billion for HMRC to reform and enhance the UK customs system and £363 million for the Home Office to maintain law enforcement cooperation with EU member states and recruit Border Force officers to deliver transit customs arrangements.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicles: Republic of Ireland
Wednesday 30th December 2020

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to curb any (1) extra pollution, and (2) extra congestion, caused as a result of the requirement for trucks from the Republic of Ireland to travel between Holyhead and registration parks in Warrington, following the end of the transition period for the UK's departure from the EU.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

As part of the work to support the Special Development Order submissions to enable the use of Warrington inland border facility, we are carrying out traffic modelling to analyse the potential for congestion of traffic moving from Holyhead to Warrington. We are also carefully considering environmental matters including noise and air quality to minimise any potential impacts.

Recent discussions with Stena Line and Port of Holyhead have also identified an option for conducting Office of Transit at the port temporarily until the enduring facility is available. This is due to the recent availability of extra space at the port and will limit the amount of traffic which is required to use Inland Border Facilities.


Written Question
Holyhead Port: Large Goods Vehicles
Monday 21st December 2020

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the requirement for trucks from the Republic of Ireland to travel between Holyhead and registration parks in Warrington, following the end of the transition period for the UK's departure from the EU.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

Warrington and Birmingham inland border facilities will provide interim support for Common Transit Convention movements through Holyhead for January 2021 ahead of a long term site being developed. Due to the nature of the road networks these locations are along the route that ‘land bridge’ traffic from Holyhead will be likely to take.

In addition, there will be some facilities in Holyhead from January 2021. The small facility at Roadking in Holyhead, which was prepared last year, will remain for drivers seeking to complete their ATA Carnet paperwork. A very limited service will also be provided to start and end transit movements there.


Written Question
Holyhead Port: Large Goods Vehicles
Monday 14th December 2020

Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 13 October (HL8609), how much of this land has been purchased; and what use is being made of this land.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

No land has yet been purchased. Two potential sites have been identified in partnership with the Welsh Government and commercial discussions are under way.