Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of pre-paid funeral plan customers who lost the money they had invested prior to the sector becoming fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in July 2022.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government recognises the difficulty and challenges facing those who have lost money because their funeral plan providers have been shown to be unable to fulfil the promises they made to their customers.
In January 2021, the government legislated to bring all pre-paid funeral plan providers and intermediaries within the regulatory remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) from 29 July 2022. This has ensured that 1.6 million funeral plan customers are, for the first time, protected by compulsory and robust regulation.
The two largest providers that have gone into administration since the government legislated are Safe Hands, with approximately 46,000 customers and One Life, with approximately 14,000 customers. We also understand that some smaller providers have entered administration.
During a wide-ranging meeting with industry in July 2017 to discuss pre-paid funeral plans, some concerns about Safe Hands funeral plans were raised with HM Treasury.
In response, officials advised that such concerns should be reported to the FCA, reflecting the fact that HM Treasury has no investigatory or enforcement powers of its own.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they took in respect of Safe Hands Funeral Plans following concerns raised in 2017 by Fairer Finance and the Funeral Planning Authority.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government recognises the difficulty and challenges facing those who have lost money because their funeral plan providers have been shown to be unable to fulfil the promises they made to their customers.
In January 2021, the government legislated to bring all pre-paid funeral plan providers and intermediaries within the regulatory remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) from 29 July 2022. This has ensured that 1.6 million funeral plan customers are, for the first time, protected by compulsory and robust regulation.
The two largest providers that have gone into administration since the government legislated are Safe Hands, with approximately 46,000 customers and One Life, with approximately 14,000 customers. We also understand that some smaller providers have entered administration.
During a wide-ranging meeting with industry in July 2017 to discuss pre-paid funeral plans, some concerns about Safe Hands funeral plans were raised with HM Treasury.
In response, officials advised that such concerns should be reported to the FCA, reflecting the fact that HM Treasury has no investigatory or enforcement powers of its own.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) ONS data showing an increase in the relative affordability of alcohol compared to fruit juice, and (2) the implications of this trend for their planned duty freeze on alcoholic drinks.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The Government will continue to assess the impact of its decisions on alcohol duties, including the duty freeze until 1 August 2023, and aims to balance its public health objectives with support for businesses.
The alcohol duty reforms will tax all alcohol according to strength for the first time from 1 August 2023. This will make low cost high ABV drinks, such as white ciders, more expensive and reduce the affordability of drinks more associated with alcohol harm.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the (1) definition, and (2) scope, of actuarial activities to be subject to proposed statutory regulation by the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) does not lead to regulatory duplication and regulatory arbitrage.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HM Government consulted publicly on its proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession in chapter 11.2 of its White Paper ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’. As part of the consultation process, the Government has held discussions with a range of actuarial stakeholders.
The Government is considering the responses to its consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a separate assessment has been made of the (1) proportionality, and (2) cost, of proposed reforms to actuarial regulation, distinct from the audit profession, in the transition from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA).
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HM Government consulted publicly on its proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession in chapter 11.2 of its White Paper ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’. As part of the consultation process, the Government has held discussions with a range of actuarial stakeholders.
The Government is considering the responses to its consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with stakeholders to ensure the future governance of the proposed model for the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) takes account of the distinctness of the actuarial professional from the audit and accountancy profession.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HM Government consulted publicly on its proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession in chapter 11.2 of its White Paper ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’. As part of the consultation process, the Government has held discussions with a range of actuarial stakeholders.
The Government is considering the responses to its consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HM Government consulted publicly on its proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession in chapter 11.2 of its White Paper ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’. As part of the consultation process, the Government has held discussions with a range of actuarial stakeholders.
The Government is considering the responses to its consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the proposed alcohol duty system will impact on their ability to cover the costs of alcohol to (1) the NHS, and (2) on society.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government intends to move to a new system that taxes all products in reference to their alcohol content for the first time. This will help to target problem drinking by taxing higher-strength products associated with alcohol-related harm a higher rate of duty.
The Government is continuing to engage with interested stakeholders, including public health professionals, on these reforms. A consultation was launched in October and stakeholders are encouraged to respond before the deadline of 30 January 2022. A tax information and impact note will be published following the consultation when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for increasing alcohol duty to raise additional revenue to support the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Government keeps alcohol duties under review and the impact of changes to alcohol duty is considered carefully at each fiscal event, including its effects on society, the economy and wider needs.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for setting alcohol duty rates at a level where revenue from alcohol duty will match the costs of alcohol to society.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Government keeps alcohol duties under review and the impact of changes to alcohol duty is considered carefully at each fiscal event, including its effects on society, the economy and wider needs.