Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2021 to Question 8586 on Equitable Life Assurance Society, what information he holds on whether any records relating to the Equitable Life Payments Scheme other than those needed to (a) ensure the accuracy of ongoing payments and (b) respond to queries in relation to payments that have already been made have been destroyed.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Honourable Member for Harrow East to the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury’s letter of 24 May 2021 to the Public Accounts Committee. This is available at: committees.parliament.uk/publications/6221/documents/69032/default/
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information he holds on whether Capita has destroyed any of the archived historic personal and payment data transferred to it by NS&I on the 895,000 non-WPA Equitable Life policyholders who received payments from the Equitable Life Policy Scheme for 22.4 per cent of their losses.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Honourable Member for Harrow East to the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury’s letter of 24 May 2021 to the Public Accounts Committee. This is available at: committees.parliament.uk/publications/6221/documents/69032/default/
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2021 to Question 187376 on Equitable Life Assurance Society, whether his Department (a) holds data relating to the Equitable Life Payments Scheme for purposes other than ongoing payments to annuitants and (b) has previously held such data.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As I assured the House on 27 April 2021, there has been no change in the Treasury’s position. The relevant records – that is, those needed to ensure the accuracy of ongoing payments, and to respond to queries in relation to payments that have already been made – are retained and will continue to be, as long as it is legal to do so. There are no plans to destroy records.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2021 to Question 187376 on Equitable Life Assurance Society, how his Department defines relevant records in relation to the Equitable Life Payments Scheme; and whether any other records in relation to the Scheme have been previously (a) held and (b) destroyed.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As I assured the House on 27 April 2021, there has been no change in the Treasury’s position. The relevant records – that is, those needed to ensure the accuracy of ongoing payments, and to respond to queries in relation to payments that have already been made – are retained and will continue to be, as long as it is legal to do so. There are no plans to destroy records.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to include wholesalers in the guidance for local authorities for the administration of the new business rates relief fund.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.
Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including wholesalers in the guidance for local authorities for the administration of the new business rates relief fund.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.
Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will meet representatives of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors to discuss the practicalities involved in developing a business rates support system for businesses affected by covid-19 outside the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.
Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to enable the provision of business rates support to businesses affected by covid-19 outside the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.
Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect on the wholesale sector of the length of time taken to start the new business rates relief fund.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.
Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.