Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the number of private business flights that departed from all UK airports and airfields per Air Passenger Duty band in 2022.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Information regarding private business flights, airports and airfields is not available, however, the data used in the Air Passenger Duty (APD) publication provides a breakdown of historical receipts, chargeable passengers and liabilities for all APD passenger bands.
APD receipts for each band of air passenger duty in January to May 2022 can be found in the Air Passenger Duty Statistics tables, on the APD Bulletin landing page.
Data from June to December 2022 will be published in the upcoming June 2023 APD bulletin release.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from private business flights through Air Passenger Duty in 2022 per band of Air Passenger Duty.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Information regarding private business flights, airports and airfields is not available, however, the data used in the Air Passenger Duty (APD) publication provides a breakdown of historical receipts, chargeable passengers and liabilities for all APD passenger bands.
APD receipts for each band of air passenger duty in January to May 2022 can be found in the Air Passenger Duty Statistics tables, on the APD Bulletin landing page.
Data from June to December 2022 will be published in the upcoming June 2023 APD bulletin release.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for the Government's policies of the EU's proposed carbon border tax.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The European Commission has yet to make a concrete proposal for a carbon border adjustment mechanism, but the Government is following the EU’s debate on possible designs with interest.
The overall destination of Net Zero by 2050 is shared by the UK, and the Government will continue to work with the EU to secure ambitious climate objectives.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's assessment was of the UK Export Finance proposal to provide financing support for the export of Typhoon aircraft and associated equipment and services to the Government of Qatar; and if he will place a copy of that assessment in the Library.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Treasury gave consent to UK Export Finance (UKEF) to provide financing support for the export of Typhoon aircraft, associated equipment and services to the Government of Qatar on national interest grounds. The Treasury works closely with UKEF to assess the risks to the Exchequer arising from such support. To ensure effective assessments can be made, detailed commercially sensitive information is required. Were these assessments to be published, it would inhibit UKEF's ability to obtain the information required to consider transactions and would ultimately limit their ability to support UK exporters.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the potential cost to British exporters of increased red tape in the event of the UK leaving the EU customs union related to (a) quota requirements, (b) rules of origin, (c) inspection certifications, (d) advance cargo declarations and (f) customs checks.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Government is committed to ensuring that Britain remains one of the best countries in the world to do business and is engaging with businesses to understand the possible impacts on exporters and importers of leaving the Customs Union.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has commissioned cost-benefit analysis of the potential effect of the UK leaving the single market and the customs union on the UK's balance of trade.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government continues to undertake a range of analyses to inform the UK’s position for the upcoming EU exit negotiations. We are seeking the best possible arrangement for trade in goods and services and the work being conducted reflects this.
The UK’s future relationship with the EU will be contingent on the exit negotiations and the Government will not provide a running commentary on these negotiations.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research his Department has commissioned on the effect on the UK's future trade balance of the UK leaving the customs union.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government continues to undertake a range of analyses to inform the UK’s position for the upcoming EU exit negotiations. We are seeking the best possible arrangement for trade in goods and services and the work being conducted reflects this.
The UK’s future relationship with the EU will be contingent on the exit negotiations and the Government will not provide a running commentary on these negotiations.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority are adequately ensuring that companies disclose the financial risk to their company associated with climate change.
Answered by Simon Kirby
Climate change is not only a huge threat to our natural environment, but to our economic prosperity too. The private sector’s involvement is crucial if we are to be successful in reaching the ambitious targets agreed in Paris last year. The UK government and regulators are together at the forefront of engaging with the private sector to address this pressing issue:
The Prudential Regulation Authority’s pioneering report on the impact of climate change on the UK insurance sector last year kick-started the global debate around climate-related financial risks.
The Bank of England is leading global efforts to develop the international framework for green finance as co-chair of the G20 Green Finance Study Group.
Governor Carney’s speech in Berlin last week stressed the importance of disclosure in addressing climate-related financial risks.
The Financial Stability Board, chaired by Governor Carney, set up an industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures in late 2015, under the leadership of Michael Bloomberg. The Task Force is developing recommendations for voluntary, consistent, comparable, reliable and clear disclosures around climate-related financial risks for companies to provide information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders. The Task Force published its initial report in April, and will publish a final report in early 2017. The Government looks forward to the publication of the Task Force’s report.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's priorities are for the negotiations on the revised EU Directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provisions.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government’s priority for the draft Directive is ensuring sound and proportionate regulation of occupational pension schemes, which respects differences in the national arrangements between Member States.
As is usual practice, an overall impact assessment for the draft Directive has been prepared by the EU institutions, and a national-level impact assessment will be prepared as and when the Directive is transposed into UK law.
The Government has approached negotiations on the Directive in line with the usual co-ordination process across departments.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the revised EU Directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provisions for lowering the exposure of pension fund savers to climate change-related financial risk.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government’s priority for the draft Directive is ensuring sound and proportionate regulation of occupational pension schemes, which respects differences in the national arrangements between Member States.
As is usual practice, an overall impact assessment for the draft Directive has been prepared by the EU institutions, and a national-level impact assessment will be prepared as and when the Directive is transposed into UK law.
The Government has approached negotiations on the Directive in line with the usual co-ordination process across departments.