Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to help support people who took out mortgages before 2008 with regulated banks which subsequently collapsed and are now unable to switch to new mortgage deals.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government understands that being unable to switch your mortgage can be extremely concerning, and, alongside the Financial Conduct Authority and industry, have shown we are willing to act through the introduction of a ‘modified affordability assessment’. We are also regularly in contact with key stakeholders, including recently with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mortgage Prisoners.
The Government remains committed to this issue, and welcomes any further practical and proportionate solutions that would meaningfully assist affected borrowers and be fair to other borrowers in the wider market.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2021 to Question 68145 and the Answer of the 26 October 2021 to question 60363, on what evidential basis his Department concluded that reviewing legislation on VAT on automated external defibrillators would impose significant additional pressure on the public finances in the absence of a specific cost-benefit analysis.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government has received over £50 billion worth of requests for relief from VAT since the EU referendum. Any new VAT relief would come at a cost to the exchequer.
There are existing VAT reliefs in place to aid the purchase of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), including VAT relief on purchases made by local authorities and those made through voluntary contributions, where the AED is donated to eligible charities or the NHS.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2021 to Question 60363, what the cost to the public purse would be of removing VAT on automated external defibrillators.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
HMRC does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services. Businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level on their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 19 January 2018 to Question 123106 on Defibrillators: VAT, what plans his Department has to review legislation on VAT on automated external defibrillators.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government takes the safety of the public seriously and, as noted in the previous answer, already provides several VAT reliefs to aid the purchases of Automated External Defibrillators and other first aid equipment.
Going further would impose significant additional pressure on the public finances, to which VAT makes a significant contribution. VAT raised around £130 billion in 2019/20 and helps to fund key spending priorities. Any reduction in tax paid is a reduction in the money available to support important public services, including the NHS and policing.