Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish an eighth edition of the Statement of funding policy: funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The eighth edition of the Statement of Funding Policy was published alongside Spending Review 2020 and can be found here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/943689/Statement_of_Funding_Policy_2020.pdf
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of further business VAT deferrals in response to the ongoing covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government continues to make timely decisions to support businesses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Approximately 600,000 payments were deferred to the value of £34bn through the VAT payments deferral scheme, which ended on 30 June 2020. As part of the Winter Economy Plan, the Government announced further support for those with deferred VAT. Instead of paying the full deferred VAT outstanding by 31 March 2021, businesses can spread what they owe over up to 11 smaller monthly payments. More information is available at www.gov.uk/hmrc/vat-deferral.
There are currently no plans to launch another VAT deferral scheme.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact assessment he has made of the EU-UK trade agreement's restrictions on laden journeys and cross trade transport operations on the logistics and haulage industry with respect to the movement of (a) goods and (b) equipment for the music and entertainment business.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The UK’s Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU ensures there will be zero tariffs or quotas on trade between the UK and the EU, where goods meet the relevant rules of origin, and includes provisions to facilitate trade and address non-tariff barriers for UK exports to the EU and vice versa.
The Government’s priority is to keep goods moving and avoid delays at the border. Border Force and HMRC will act to ensure that border processes are as smooth as possible, without compromising security.
Inland border sites have been set up to ease congestion at ports. HMRC have been working with stakeholders and the Department for Transport to produce the Haulier Handbook. This outlines the processes of which hauliers need to be aware when moving goods between GB and the EU from 1 January 2021 and is available on GOV.UK.
ATA carnets are available for commercial goods, professional equipment or goods going to trade fairs or exhibitions in participating countries, which are moved on a temporary basis to a new customs territory (i.e. they will not be sold, and will return to the country of origin). This includes equipment for the music and entertainment business. Carnets allow a single document to be used for clearing goods through customs in the countries that are part of the ATA carnet system.
In addition to using carnets, alternative options for transporting equipment on a temporary basis between the EU and the UK (without having to pay customs duties and VAT) are Temporary Admission and Returned Goods Relief. More information is available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2020 to Question 124786 on Customs: ICT, for what reason the C1800 CHIEF badge application forms are not accessible on the Gov.uk website; when they will be available on that website; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The C1800 file is accessible through the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/import-and-export-request-for-chief-access-c1800.
In order to open the form using this link the customer must download Adobe Reader, which is a free application. It is not possible to open the C1800 form in an internet browser.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC still accepts applications from UK companies on form C1800 to access Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) to award CHIEF badges.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HMRC do still accept applications from UK companies on form C1800 to access Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) to award CHIEF badges, and will continue to do so from 1 January 2021.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will create a net zero test for all infrastructure (a) policy and (b) spending decisions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has a robust process for assessing the impact of spending decisions on achieving our environmental goals.
Our world-leading Green Book guidance mandates the consideration of climate and environmental impacts in all spending decisions.
Using the Green Book all interventions are appraised against the Government’s strategic and economic objectives, including the net zero greenhouse gas emissions target.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2020 to Question 52168, when he plans to publish the national infrastructure strategy; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Infrastructure is central to the Government’s economic strategy and is vital for driving the recovery from COVID-19. The Government will publish the National Infrastructure Strategy imminently.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure the national infrastructure strategy aligns with net zero emissions targets; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The UK was the first major economy in the world to legislate its 2050 Net Zero commitment last year and transforming the UK’s infrastructure will be vital to meeting this target. The National Infrastructure Strategy will set out the UK’s long-term ambitions on economic infrastructure, including on decarbonisation.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what targeted rates relief support the Government has provided for food service wholesalers whose rateable value exceeds £51,000.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors. Rates relief is available to all eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties regardless of their rateable value. Business rates are devolved in Scotland, and so are a matter for the Scottish Government.
A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for business rates relief, has also been made available.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the hospitality venue covid-19 restrictions on the food service wholesale industry; what targeted support has been provided for that sector in response to the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers have been eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.