Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will offer a settlement opportunity for people affected by loan charges.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In 2017 HMRC offered settlement terms to taxpayers who used disguised remuneration (DR) tax avoidance schemes and who may have been liable to pay the Loan Charge unless they chose to settle with HMRC.
Taxpayers who provided the necessary information to HMRC by 5 April 2019 and worked with HMRC to conclude settlement by 30 September 2020 were able to settle under these 2017 terms, enabling them to keep clear of the Loan Charge.
Later this year, HMRC will publish settlement terms for taxpayers who pay the Loan Charge and still have remaining liabilities, arising from HMRC enquiries into their DR scheme use, which have yet to be resolved.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of banks on the provision of free-to-use ATMs; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis.
The Government recognises that cash remains important to millions of people across the UK, which is why it has committed to legislate to protect access to cash and to ensure that the UK’s cash infrastructure is sustainable in the long term. The Government is working at pace, engaging with industry and the regulators – the Financial Conduct Authority, Payment Systems Regulator, and Bank of England – whilst designing legislation. To inform the development of this legislation, the Government published a Call for Evidence on 15 October seeking views on the key considerations associated with cash access, including deposit and withdrawal facilities, cash acceptance, and regulatory oversight of the cash system.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s largest ATM network, has existing arrangements in place to protect free-to-use ATMs that do not have another free-to-use ATM or Post Office within 1 kilometre. LINK’s members have also made £5 million available to fund ATMs at the request of communities with poor access to cash.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has established a second wave economic support plan to prepare for a potential second wave of covid-19 (a) infections and (b) lockdowns.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government delivered one of the most generous and comprehensive packages of economic support globally, protecting people’s incomes and supporting businesses.
The Government has since set out a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy to minimise the risk of a second peak of the virus, and has produced COVID-19 secure practical guidelines to support businesses to reopen and for workers to feel confident, safe and empowered to return to work. Public Health England, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and NHS Test and Trace constantly monitor levels of infection across the country, and will work with local authorities to implement additional measures if needed.
On 8 July the Chancellor set out a package of measures to support jobs across the UK, including a Job Retention Bonus to help firms keep furloughed workers and a new £2 billion Kickstart Scheme to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. The Chancellor has announced support for those sectors hardest hit, with a £1.57 billion package for the arts, and a cut in VAT to 5% for accommodation, attractions and the hospitality sector.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to (a) identify and (b close down disguised remuneration schemes.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) remain committed to tackling new and emerging tax avoidance schemes and will launch a call for evidence shortly to seek views on further interventions to tackle these schemes and end their use.
HMRC have opened tens of thousands of enquiries, successfully litigated cases through the courts and agreed settlements to help DR users exit tax avoidance. HMRC are now increasingly intervening in real time, using information from employers and other intelligence relating to the avoidance market. HMRC are writing to taxpayers who appear to have started using avoidance before they complete their tax return to give them an opportunity to get out of the arrangements as early as possible.
HMRC are also challenging scheme promoters and other enablers in the marketed avoidance supply chain in order to disrupt their business. On 19 March 2020, they published a revised strategy for tackling promoters of mass-marketed tax avoidance schemes which sets out HMRC’s work to date and outlines HMRC and Government ambitions to drive promoters of tax avoidance out of business. It is guiding policy, operations, engagement and communications. The Promoter Strategy is available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether childcare vouchers can be used for online service providers if they meet the criteria of developing skills in children and giving parents time to be able to do their own work.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Childcare vouchers can only be used for eligible childcare that meets the definition of “care” in section 318B(1) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
Eligible care requires an element of supervised activity, where the provider has some control over the environment and can provide care for the child in the event of an emergency, thereby meeting health and safety requirements. Online service providers do not meet these conditions.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last met with the Secretary of State for International Development to discuss Official Development Assistance spending.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Treasury Ministers meet regularly with Ministerial colleagues and officials across Government to discuss a variety of issues including Official Development Assistance.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) extending business rates exemption relief to barristers’ chambers and (b) provide tailored support for publicly-funded Bar employees that are ineligible for the self-employed scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
While office space such as barristers’ chambers is not eligible for the retail, hospitality and leisure relief, a range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday has been made available. For example, the Government has launched the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms keep people in employment, and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.
Those ineligible for the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) may still benefit from other support. Individuals may have access to a range of grants and loans depending on their circumstances, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme,?Bounce Back Loans,?and the deferral of tax payments.?There will be no further changes and no further extensions to the SEISS, which continues to be one of the most generous self-employed support schemes in the world.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the £51,000 business rates limit for covid-19 support grants for businesses in line with the variation in property values in England.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The business grants schemes have been designed to help small businesses. £51,000 is the accepted threshold in the business rates system for a “small” business, as only businesses which occupy properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000 can benefit from the Small Business Multiplier rate. This threshold applies across England, thus providing a straightforward existing basis which Local Authorities can use to issue grants.
Larger businesses may have access to other forms of support which the Government has announced, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. In addition, there is no rateable value limit on the business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
The Government continues to monitor the economic situation and is keeping support for businesses and other organisations under review.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the £500m Future Fund announced on 20 April 2020 will open for applications.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Future Fund will open to applications on 20 May. Further details and guidance are available on the British Business Bank website: https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-business-interruption-loan-schemes/future-fund/.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to reduce access to (a) health care for young transgender people and (b) public conveniences for transgender people in the forthcoming reforms to the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) sets out the process by which a person can change their legal gender. Healthcare for young transgender people and public conveniences for transgender people does not fall within its scope.
The Government is carefully planning next steps on reforming the GRA, so that any changes can have a positive impact on transgender adults who live in the UK.
We have listened closely to all those who engaged with the consultation, and we plan to publish our response this summer, subject to the Government's COVID-19 response.
The Government is also committed to making sure all young people have access to appropriate and timely psychological and medical support.