Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that the regulatory framework for (a) cryptoassets and (b) blockchain technology helps facilitate investment and growth.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government set out at Fintech Week its firm ambition to make UK a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment. The Government wants to ensure firms can invest, innovate and scale up in this country. And the Government has announced a number of reforms which will see the regulation and aspects of tax treatment of cryptoassets evolve – our clear message to cryptoasset firms is that the UK is open for business.
These include committing to consult on a future regulatory regime; legislating to bring stablecoins into payments regulation; setting up a series of ministerial-chaired roundtables, bringing together key figures in industry; and exploring ways of enhancing the competitiveness of the UK tax system to encourage further development of the cryptoasset market in the UK.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to review support for adopters who have been affected by the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. It applies to anyone with an individual income over £50,000, who claims Child Benefit or whose partner claims it, regardless of the make-up of their household.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) continue to improve their communications to raise awareness of HICBC. This includes information shared via social media, through third parties such as websites aimed at parents or families, and on GOV.UK. The front page of the Child Benefit application form includes a prominent message about HICBC to help families make a decision on whether they should claim and be paid Child Benefit and the importance of claiming even if they opt not to receive payments.