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Written Question
Council Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely effect on economic growth and productivity of (1) revaluing council tax bands by reference to current market rates, and (2) abolishing stamp duty in favour of a reformed housing taxation arrangement.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government has no current plans to revalue council tax bands by reference to current market rates or to abolish Stamp Duty Land Tax in favour of a reformed housing taxation arrangement. The government continues to keep all tax policy under review.


Written Question
National Insurance Benefits
Tuesday 5th April 2022

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people claiming contributory benefits as a result of the change to National Insurance contributions.

Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)

At Spring Statement 2022, the Government announced increases to the earnings thresholds from which Class 1 and Class 4 National Insurance is paid.

This change does not affect eligibility for contributory benefits entitlement as the Lower Earnings Limits and Small Profits Thresholds are unchanged.

Therefore, no change in the number of people claiming contributory benefits is expected.


Written Question
Debt Collection
Wednesday 3rd November 2021

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government which debt collecting agencies Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs has ceased to use within the last five years; and what were the reasons in each case.

Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton

HMRC does not have a direct relationship with debt collection agencies. It draws their services from a panel provided by a joint venture private and public sector framework contract, which is managed by the Cabinet Office.

In the last five years, seven debt collection agencies have ceased to provide a service to HMRC via the joint venture. They either withdrew voluntarily or they ceased providing services due to commercial reasons.

HMRC cannot provide more details, including the names of the agencies or specific reasons they ceased providing services, due to commercial interests.

Debt Collection agencies form an integral part of HMRC’s debt collection strategy.


Written Question
Banks: Russia
Tuesday 5th November 2019

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what oversight UK financial regulators have of the subsidiaries of the five main Russian banks subject to EU Council Regulation 833/2014.

Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

The FCA is responsible for the regulation of the financial services sector and is operationally independent from Government. This question relates to the FCA and has been passed on to them. The FCA will reply directly to Lord Rooks by letter and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.


Written Question
Money Laundering
Tuesday 4th August 2015

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce a cap on cash payments for property, in addition to existing anti-money-laundering measures.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

The Government does not currently have plans to introduce a cap on cash payments for property.

However, the Government will consult later this year on the transposition of the 4th EU Money Laundering Directive which is compatible with the revised global standards of the Financial Action Task Force. We will use this consultation to propose changes to improve the effectiveness of the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter terrorist finance regime.

The Government is committed to protecting the financial system and national security through effective and proportionate use of financial sanctions, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist and proliferation finance measures. All those dealing with property transactions in the UK, including banks, lawyers and estate agents, are required to actively detect and prevent money laundering including by reporting suspicious activity to the National Crime Agency and by conducting customer due diligence using a risk-based approach.


Written Question
Money Laundering
Thursday 30th July 2015

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to require estate agents to carry out anti-money-laundering due diligence checks on the purchaser of a property, in addition to those they carry out on the seller.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

The Government will consult this year on transposing the 4th EU Money Laundering Directive in order to comply with the revised global standards of the Financial Action Task Force. We will use this to consult on other changes to improve the effectiveness of the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter terrorist finance regime, including whether or not to require estate agents to conduct due diligence on the buyer as well as the seller of a property.

The Government is committed to protecting the financial system and national security, through effective and proportionate use of financial sanctions, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist and proliferation finance measures. All those dealing with property transactions in the UK, including banks, lawyers and estate agents, are required to actively detect and prevent money laundering including reporting suspicious activity to the National Crime Agency and conducting customer due diligence using a risk-based approach.



Written Question
Cooperative Bank
Monday 23rd June 2014

Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any department, executive agency or non-departmental public body has a banking arrangement with the Co-operative Bank.

Answered by Lord Deighton

Treasury policy is to hold Exchequer funds safe and secure at the Bank of England and to minimise balances held with commercial banks. The Treasury has been working with departments in recent years to minimise balances held in commercial accounts.

Government Departments and most public bodies bank with the Government Banking Service, which is a directorate within HM Revenue and Customs. GBS is a shared service which manages contracts and supports banking services to Government departments using cost-efficient and modern commercial banking platforms. The balances held by the Government Banking Service are utilised to reduce the Government's daily borrowing requirement and in turn its financing costs.

In the rare circumstance where banking is required outside of the contract then the Department concerned must seek Treasury approval to open separate commercial accounts. This will normally be when third party-funds are being managed or the banking service requirement is complex. The Treasury provides an annual update to the Public Accounts Committee on monies held outside the Exchequer / Government Banking Service. The most recent update was published on 13th January 2014 and can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270747/36048_Cm_8774.pdf

From the information provided by departments we can confirm that the Forestry Commission and National Forest Company have a banking relationship with the Co-operative Bank.