Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to (a) bring forward the local government finance settlement to the same date as the Autumn Statement and (b) to increase the local government settlement in line with inflation or above; whether he has had discussions with the (i) the Prime Minister and (ii) Secretary of State for Communities and Levelling Up about the ability of local authority leaders to (A) plan for and (B) provide public services without this information and funding; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The timing of the Local Government Finance Settlement is a matter for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The Government recognises the pressures that local authorities are facing and continues to work with the sector to understand the impacts on service delivery and budgets.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will confirm the approach to funding allocations for 2023-24 in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish an equalities impact of the Autumn Spending Review along with the other official documents published on the day of the review.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In developing proposals at fiscal events, including previous and forthcoming events, such as the Autumn Budget planned for 17 November, the Treasury takes care to ensure compliance with legal requirements under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in the Equality Act 2010 to consider the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics.
This is in line with both our legal obligations to pay “due regard” to equality impacts and with our strong commitment to promoting fairness.
In the interests of transparency and going beyond legal requirements, HMRC publishes a summary of equality impacts for tax measures within the Tax Information and Impact Notes (TIINs) alongside the associated legislation.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he will publish HMRC assessments for all of the new tax measures he set out on 23 September 2022, including those which will take effect in future tax years.
Answered by Richard Fuller
HMRC publishes a summary of impact assessments for tax measures within Tax Information and Impact Notes (TIINs), which provide a clear statement of the policy objective, impact on the Exchequer, the economy, individuals, businesses and civil society organisations, as well as any equality and other specific impacts.
The TIINs for tax measures will be published when the associated legislation is introduced.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of whether (a) food packaging producers, (b) food manufacturers and (c) food and drink retailers have passed on the costs of the plastic packaging tax to consumers; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Plastic Packaging Tax was introduced on 1 April 2022 to tackle the pressing global issue of plastic waste. The tax applies to importers and manufacturers of plastic packaging and provides an economic incentive to use more recycled plastic in packaging.
If businesses that are liable for the tax choose to pass the cost down to consumers, the Government expects the impact of the tax on consumer prices to be small as plastic packaging typically makes up a very small amount of the total cost of goods.
Further details on the impact of the tax have been published in a Tax Information and Impact Note: www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax-from-april-2022/introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax-2021(opens in a new tab)
All taxes are kept under review.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential effect of allowing investment expenditure under the Energy (Oil and Gas) Profits Levy Act 2022 as a subsidy, under the provisions of the Subsidy Control Act 2022, on (a) the levels of future oil and gas production and (b) tax revenues.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government does not consider the Energy Profit Levy’s investment allowance for investment expenditure to be a subsidy under the Subsidy Control Act 2022.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Health and Social Care, (b) Education and (c) Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the levels of funding required to ensure that (i) schools, (ii) nurseries, (iii) colleges, (iv) hospitals, (v) providers of social care and (vi) other providers of essential public services are able to afford the increased cost of energy; if he will make it his policy to provide additional funding to help those public services meet their energy costs; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We recognise that many private and public sector organisations are exposed to high energy costs driven by global factors.
The Government will introduce a six-month scheme to support businesses, charities and public sector organisations, comparable to the scheme being provided for consumers.
This will protect them from soaring energy costs through the acute crisis this winter and provide them with the certainty they need to plan.