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Written Question
Bank Services: Gosport
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of access to (a) cash and (b) banking services in (a) Gosport constituency and (b) England; and what steps he is taking to ensure adequate access to (i) cash and (ii) banking services in those areas in the next five years.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government believes that all customers, wherever they live, should have appropriate access to banking services. Nonetheless, decisions on opening and closing branches are a commercial issue for banks and building societies. The Government does not intervene in these decisions or make direct assessments of these branch networks.

Guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to reduce their physical branches or the number of free-to-use ATMs. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on the everyday banking and cash access needs of their customers and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This ensures that the implementation of closure decisions is undertaken in a way that treats customers fairly.

Alternative options for access to banking can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows 99% of personal banking and 95% of business banking customers to deposit cheques, check their balance and withdraw and deposit cash at 11,500 Post Office branches in the UK.

New shared banking hubs are also being introduced, providing basic banking services and dedicated space where community bankers from major banks can meet customers of that bank.  Following successful pilots Cash Access UK Ltd is rolling out shared banking hubs and other new shared facilities in communities across the UK. To date, industry has committed to deliver Banking Hubs in 80 locations. Further information on Banking Hubs is available at: https://www.cashaccess.co.uk/

Regarding access to cash, LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator. LINK has committed to protect free-to-use ATMs more than one kilometre away from the next nearest free ATM or Post Office, and free access to cash on high streets that do not have a free-to-use ATM or a Post Office counter within one kilometre. Furthermore, LINK operates a scheme to enable communities with poor access to cash to request an ATM.

LINK publishes the total number of free-to-use and pay-to-use ATMs across the UK on a regular basis. LINK’s Monthly ATM Footprint Report also publishes information on the break down by constituency. Further information is available on LINK’s website: https://www.link.co.uk/

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 provides the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash access services. The FCA is currently developing its approach and will consult in due course.


Written Question
Banks: Gosport
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of high street bank branch closures on people in Gosport constituency.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government believes that all customers, wherever they live, should have appropriate access to banking services. Nonetheless, decisions on opening and closing branches are a commercial issue for banks and building societies. The Government does not intervene in these decisions or make direct assessments of these branch networks.

Guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to reduce their physical branches or the number of free-to-use ATMs. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on the everyday banking and cash access needs of their customers and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This ensures that the implementation of closure decisions is undertaken in a way that treats customers fairly.

Alternative options for access to banking can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows 99% of personal banking and 95% of business banking customers to deposit cheques, check their balance and withdraw and deposit cash at 11,500 Post Office branches in the UK.

New shared banking hubs are also being introduced, providing basic banking services and dedicated space where community bankers from major banks can meet customers of that bank.  Following successful pilots Cash Access UK Ltd is rolling out shared banking hubs and other new shared facilities in communities across the UK. To date, industry has committed to deliver Banking Hubs in 80 locations. Further information on Banking Hubs is available at: https://www.cashaccess.co.uk/

Regarding access to cash, LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator. LINK has committed to protect free-to-use ATMs more than one kilometre away from the next nearest free ATM or Post Office, and free access to cash on high streets that do not have a free-to-use ATM or a Post Office counter within one kilometre. Furthermore, LINK operates a scheme to enable communities with poor access to cash to request an ATM.

LINK publishes the total number of free-to-use and pay-to-use ATMs across the UK on a regular basis. LINK’s Monthly ATM Footprint Report also publishes information on the break down by constituency. Further information is available on LINK’s website: https://www.link.co.uk/

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 provides the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash access services. The FCA is currently developing its approach and will consult in due course.


Written Question
Television: Tax Allowances
Monday 13th March 2023

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of potential impact of the high-end television tax relief on (a) levels of drama and comedy production, (b) the UK's creative economy and (c) jobs and talent development.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

The Government recognises the value of the UK’s world leading creative industries and the creative industries tax reliefs help ensure that these sectors remain world-class, projecting our values and influence around the world.

The objective of high-end TV tax relief is to support and incentivise the production of culturally British content. In the year ending March 2022, £397 million of high-end TV tax relief was paid in response to 370 claims, representing 355 programmes.

In November 2022, an evaluation of the film and TV tax reliefs was published. The evaluation can be accessed here: Creative Industry Tax Reliefs Evaluation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


Written Question
Cost of Living: Parkinson's Disease
Friday 2nd December 2022

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the cost of living crisis on the financial well-being of people with Parkinson’s.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and especially to the most vulnerable members of society, such as disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to support households while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.

If individuals have extra-costs arising from their Parkinson’s disease, then they may qualify for disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). At Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced that it will provide a further Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 in 2023/24 to people in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This is additional to the £150 payment for recipients of disability benefits in 2022 already announced as part of the Cost of Living package in May.

These payments can be received in addition to the other Cost of Living Payments for households on means-tested benefits, namely the £650 payment announced in May and the additional £900 payment announced at Autumn Statement. Individuals who have limited or no ability to work because of their disability or long-term health condition, and are in receipt of means-tested benefits such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the Universal Credit Health top up, are eligible for this support.

Those living with a long-term health condition, such as Parkinson’s disease, can also benefit from other forms of non-means-tested support which the Government is providing to assist with UK households’ energy bills. We have taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs through the Energy Price Guarantee, ​which limits the price suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive further support this year through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme. The £150 Council Tax rebate will also mean that all households in Council Tax bands A-D will receive a rebate, and 99% of eligible households have already received this.


Written Question
Pre-school Education: Coronavirus
Tuesday 22nd February 2022

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason nurseries and early years education providers are explicitly excluded from the Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

The Government provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors, as well as nurseries, during the pandemic given the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on high street footfall and nursery attendance.

In line with the Government roadmap to reopen the economy, nurseries are currently able to receive up to 66 per cent business rates relief until 31 March 2022. Although nurseries are no longer subject to COVID-19 restrictions, the Government will continue to provide support ahead of the revaluation in 2023. Freezing the multiplier for 2022-23 will support all ratepayers ahead of the revaluation in 2023, meaning bills are 3 per cent lower than without the freeze.

The COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund is designed to provide support to those businesses affected by COVID-19 that have not been covered by existing support linked to business rates. Nurseries received a full business rates holiday until 30 June 2021 and can claim a 66 per cent relief for the remainder of this financial year.


Written Question
Pre-school Education: Non-domestic Rates
Tuesday 22nd February 2022

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional assistance with business rates to nurseries and early years education centres following the end of the Business rates relief: nurseries discount scheme in April 2022.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

The Government provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors, as well as nurseries, during the pandemic given the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on high street footfall and nursery attendance.

In line with the Government roadmap to reopen the economy, nurseries are currently able to receive up to 66 per cent business rates relief until 31 March 2022. Although nurseries are no longer subject to COVID-19 restrictions, the Government will continue to provide support ahead of the revaluation in 2023. Freezing the multiplier for 2022-23 will support all ratepayers ahead of the revaluation in 2023, meaning bills are 3 per cent lower than without the freeze.

The COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund is designed to provide support to those businesses affected by COVID-19 that have not been covered by existing support linked to business rates. Nurseries received a full business rates holiday until 30 June 2021 and can claim a 66 per cent relief for the remainder of this financial year.


Written Question
Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to reconsider the Draught Relief policy so that it will apply to drinks served from draught containers less than 40 litres in order to benefit a wider range of breweries.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our initial proposal is that the relief would apply to containers at least as big as the traditional firkin – a 40 litre cask. We will discuss the size of containers that will qualify for the relief with brewers as part of our consultation process.


Written Question
Sanitary Protection: Taxation
Thursday 19th March 2015

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will propose at an EU level (a) a review of the EU's classification of women's sanitary products as luxury items and (b) an end to the 5 per cent tax rate on such items.

Answered by David Gauke

Female sanitary products are not classified as luxury items. Indeed, a reduced rate of VAT of 5 per cent currently applies to female sanitary products. This has been in place since 2001 and is the lowest rate possible under EU law.