Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many train services scheduled to stop at (a) Hatfield station and (b) Welwyn Garden City station have been cancelled since 20 May 2018.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department does not collect cancellation information to this level of detail. I have asked Govia Thameslink Railway to provide my Rt Hon Friend with this information.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the bill given to foreign patients using NHS services is not itemised; and whether his Department has any plans to introduced itemised bills for such patients.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Entitlement to free National Health Service care is principally based on being ‘ordinarily resident’ in the United Kingdom. Broadly, this means living here on a lawful and properly settled basis for the time being, with non-European Economic Area nationals subject to immigration control also being required to have an immigration status of ‘indefinite leave to remain’. It is not based on nationality.
A person not ordinarily resident in the UK is an ‘overseas visitor’ for the purposes of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations (the ‘Charging Regulations’).
The national guidance sets out that those patients who are identified as chargeable must be charged using either the national tariff or a locally agreed tariff if there is no national tariff for the treatment or service provided.
If and when it is established that charges apply, the NHS body must inform the patient and present them with an invoice for the treatment they have received or an estimation of the charges they are liable for in respect of any future treatment.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who will be directly affected by changes to IR35.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
In 2016, when the Government consulted on possible reform of the off-payroll working rules (known as IR35) in the public sector, it estimated that around 26,000 people working through personal service companies would be affected by the changes. Reform to the rules in the public sector were introduced in April 2017.
The Government is currently consulting on how to tackle non-compliance with the current rules in the private sector. No decisions have been made on any changes to those rules.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have (a) agreed to repay their loans and (b) agreed a settlement offer with HMRC as a result of the disguised remuneration 2019 Loan Charge.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Government estimates that up to 50,000 individuals will be affected by the 2019 loan charge. Further information can be found in the ‘Disguised remuneration: further update’ policy paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-further-update/disguised-remuneration-further-update.
Information on how many DR scheme users have repaid their loans is not held. Individuals who have repaid their DR loans must provide this information to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by 30 September 2019.
HMRC has agreed settlements with over 5,000 individuals and employers since the announcement of the 2019 loan charge at Budget 2016. This has raised over half a billion pounds for the Exchequer. Information is not held on how many people have settled as a direct result of the loan charge as it is one of a number reasons for settling with HMRC.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what initial estimate he made of the number of people who will be required to pay tax liabilities to HMRC as a result of the disguised remuneration 2019 Loan Charge.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Government estimates that up to 50,000 individuals will be affected by the 2019 loan charge. Further information can be found in the ‘Disguised remuneration: further update’ policy paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-further-update/disguised-remuneration-further-update.
Information on how many DR scheme users have repaid their loans is not held. Individuals who have repaid their DR loans must provide this information to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by 30 September 2019.
HMRC has agreed settlements with over 5,000 individuals and employers since the announcement of the 2019 loan charge at Budget 2016. This has raised over half a billion pounds for the Exchequer. Information is not held on how many people have settled as a direct result of the loan charge as it is one of a number reasons for settling with HMRC.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Strategic Review of General Aviation, published by the Civil Aviation Authority in July 2006, whether his Department has conducted a review of whether the current VAT treatment applied to flight training places UK flying schools at a competitive disadvantage to those based in other countries; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The government does not hold information on tax revenues that can be broken down to assess the impact of tax on flight training.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, under what circumstances a local plan inspector is able to recommend the alteration of a local plan; and what the remit for a local authority, group or individual to appeal an inspector’s recommendation which will increase housing is.
Answered by Dominic Raab
I refer my Rt Hon Friend to the answers given to Questions UIN 143714 and UIN 143713 on 17 May 2018.
The role and remit of Planning Inspectors is set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Planning Inspectors act on behalf of the Secretary of State to assess the soundness of a Local Plan in line with national planning policy, following a transparent and rigorous public examination process. The Inspector is responsible for making recommendations to the local planning authority on whether or not the plan is sound. However, the Inspector can only make such recommendations if formally requested to do so by the local planning authority.
During the examination, the Inspector can recommend ‘main modifications’ (changes that materially affect the policies) to make the plan sound and legally compliant but only if asked to do so by the local planning authority. The council can also put forward ’additional modifications’ of its own to deal with more minor matters. The local authority will be required to consult on “main modifications” and the Inspector’s Report will be issued following the consideration of any representations by the Inspector.
The decision whether to adopt a Local Plan is made by the local planning authority. They may choose to withdraw a Local Plan after considering the Inspector’s report. While there is no formal mechanism to appeal against the recommendations in an Inspector’s report, the adopted Local Plan could be challenged in the High Court on a point of law.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the role and remit of local plan inspectors.
Answered by Dominic Raab
I refer my Rt Hon Friend to the answers given to Questions UIN 143714 and UIN 143713 on 17 May 2018.
The role and remit of Planning Inspectors is set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Planning Inspectors act on behalf of the Secretary of State to assess the soundness of a Local Plan in line with national planning policy, following a transparent and rigorous public examination process. The Inspector is responsible for making recommendations to the local planning authority on whether or not the plan is sound. However, the Inspector can only make such recommendations if formally requested to do so by the local planning authority.
During the examination, the Inspector can recommend ‘main modifications’ (changes that materially affect the policies) to make the plan sound and legally compliant but only if asked to do so by the local planning authority. The council can also put forward ’additional modifications’ of its own to deal with more minor matters. The local authority will be required to consult on “main modifications” and the Inspector’s Report will be issued following the consideration of any representations by the Inspector.
The decision whether to adopt a Local Plan is made by the local planning authority. They may choose to withdraw a Local Plan after considering the Inspector’s report. While there is no formal mechanism to appeal against the recommendations in an Inspector’s report, the adopted Local Plan could be challenged in the High Court on a point of law.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) mechanisms for challenging and (b) processes for appealing against the decisions of a Government Local Plan Inspector are; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Planning Inspectors act on behalf of the Secretary of State to assess whether a Local Plan is suitably thought through, and whether it satisfies the statutory requirements, following a transparent and rigorous public examination process. The inspector is responsible for making recommendations to the local planning authority.
The decision whether to adopt a Local Plan is made by the local planning authority. They may choose to withdraw a Local Plan after considering the inspector’s report.
While there is no formal mechanism to appeal against the recommendations in an inspector’s report, the adopted Local Plan could be challenged in the High Court on a point of law.
The Secretary of State also has powers to intervene in the Local Plan process if he thinks that a local development document is unsatisfactory. However, wherever possible, Government wants to allow local planning authorities to decide on whether to adopt a plan, without interference from central Government.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much responsibility a Government Local Plan Inspector has for identifying the soundness of a Local Plan.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Planning Inspectors act on behalf of the Secretary of State to assess whether a Local Plan is suitably thought through, and whether it satisfies the statutory requirements, following a transparent and rigorous public examination process. The inspector is responsible for making recommendations to the local planning authority.
The decision whether to adopt a Local Plan is made by the local planning authority. They may choose to withdraw a Local Plan after considering the inspector’s report.
While there is no formal mechanism to appeal against the recommendations in an inspector’s report, the adopted Local Plan could be challenged in the High Court on a point of law.
The Secretary of State also has powers to intervene in the Local Plan process if he thinks that a local development document is unsatisfactory. However, wherever possible, Government wants to allow local planning authorities to decide on whether to adopt a plan, without interference from central Government.