Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to publish its consultation on regulatory reform of the commercial radio sector.
Answered by Matt Hancock
We hope to publish a consultation paper on commercial radio deregulation in due course.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to change HM Revenue and Customs practice of not repaying incorrectly withheld arrears or underpaid tax credits to claimants as a lump sum.
Answered by Jane Ellison
To tackle the problems associated with families overestimating falls in income, since 2007, when claimants report a fall in income during the year, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) adjusts their tax credit payments for the rest of the year to reflect their new income level, but will not include a one-off payment for the earlier part of the year. At the end of the year, their award is finalised when their actual income is known. If they have been underpaid, a further payment will then be made. However, provisions are in place to make arrears payments to claimants suffering financial hardship.
The purpose of withholding the payment is to reduce the number and size of any overpayments and prevent customers incurring debt.
HMRC has provisions in place to support those customers who are suffering financial hardship and in those circumstances any withheld payments can be released and paid to the customer without having to wait for the claim to be finalised. There are no plans to alter the current practice.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will publish a response to the report prepared by the Republican staff of the Committee on Financial Services, US House of Representatives, Too Big to Jail, Inside the Obama Justice Department's Decision Not to Hold Wall Street Accountable, published in July 2016.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The UK Government does not usually respond to reports from the Committees of other Parliaments and does not intend to respond to this report. The UK government and regulators are committed to ensuring that UK financial institutions are fully compliant with global standards and rules. In our dialogue with the US in 2012, the previous Chancellor requested early warning before any enforcement action is taken against UK banks to manage the financial stability risks. No company is immune from prosecution and the UK government supports the consistent and proportionate enforcement of global rules.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of large banking institutions charging negative interest rates on the small business sector.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The interest rates banks charge on their products is a commercial decision for them. The Government is aware that RBS and NatWest have written to businesses stating that a negative base rate may lead them to introduce negative interest rates, but they have not actually done so as yet. The base rate is set by the Bank of England’s independent Monetary Policy Committee, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer welcomed the decision of the Committee to use monetary policy to support the economy through this period of adjustment. As recent figures on jobs and growth have shown, we enter this period of adjustment from a position of economic strength.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she will take to protect businesses in the digital sector as the UK prepares to leave the EU.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with all of our sectors to make sure they have a voice as we prepare for negotiations to exit the European Union. We will continue to have regular engagement with organisations from across the digital sector to make sure their views and concerns are represented fully in our preparations for exit negotiations.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the outcome of the EU referendum on the UK's participation in the Digital Single Market.
Answered by Margot James
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not made such an assessment. The UK remains a member of the EU and will continue to play an active role in the development of the Digital Single Market until the formal and legal process of leaving the European Union has been finalised.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make it its policy to launch commercial 5G services in at least one city by 2020.
Answered by Matt Hancock
We are sponsoring the Future Communications Challenge Group (FCCG) of senior academics, industry experts and funders, chaired by the President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, which is considering how we should drive forward our commitment to ensure that UK has a leading role in 5G development.
In parallel the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is conducting a study, launched in Budget 2016, into how UK can achieve early deployment of 5G networks.
Both of these will report by the end of the year and the results will feed into a comprehensive 5G strategy for the UK, to be published in 2017.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will establish a 5G venture fund for 5G technology start-ups.
Answered by Matt Hancock
We are sponsoring the Future Communications Challenge Group (FCCG) of senior academics, industry experts and funders, chaired by the President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, which is considering how we should drive forward our commitment to ensure that UK has a leading role in 5G development.
In parallel the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is conducting a study, launched in Budget 2016, into how UK can achieve early deployment of 5G networks.
Both of these will report by the end of the year and the results will feed into a comprehensive 5G strategy for the UK, to be published in 2017.
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the steps taken by the Venezuelan government in response to shortages of basic commodities and political unrest in that country.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Government shares the concern of the international community regarding the deteriorating political, economic and social situation in Venezuela.
We have urged all sides to work constructively in the best interests of the country and the people of Venezuela. We support the planned dialogue between the Venezuelan Government and Opposition, facilitated by the Union of South American Nations regional body.
We are aware of the acute shortages of basic foods and medicines. On 10 July, parts of Venezuela’s border with Colombia were opened temporarily for the first time since August 2015. This allowed thousands of Venezuelans to cross into Colombia to purchase basic food and medicines. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Department for International Development and the EU to discuss what future assistance might be offered, if asked by the Venezuelan Government
Asked by: Calum Kerr (Scottish National Party - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Venezuela on the ongoing economic situation and food shortages in that country.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Government shares the concern of the international community regarding the deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation in Venezuela. We have urged all sides to work constructively together in the best interests of the country and the people of Venezuela. We support the planned dialogue between the Venezuelan Government and Opposition, facilitated by the Union of South American Nations regional body. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Department for International Development and the EU to discuss what future assistance might be offered, if requested by the Venezuelan Government.