Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on customs clearance areas for Holyhead port.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Treasury ministers and officials meet with a wide range of stakeholders across the public and private sector as part of policy development and implementation.
In addition, HMRC hold regular discussions at working level with the Welsh Government concerning the need for clearance facilities for traffic moving through the port of Holyhead. They are also engaging with Anglesey County Council.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to undertake an independent quality assurance review of RBS Global Restructuring Group's treatment of SMEs.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The fact that there were areas of widespread inappropriate treatment of firms by RBS GRG is clearly unacceptable. RBS rightly apologised for these mistakes, and set up a scheme to compensate victims. This scheme has, to date, paid out [£150] million to complainants.
This complaints process, overseen by Sir William Blackburne, adds a robust, transparent and independent step to the complaints process, should SME customers who were in GRG wish to complain about their treatment or challenge the bank’s decision on a previous complaint.
Therefore the Government will not establish an independent quality assurance review.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the upcoming G20 meeting of Finance Ministers, what steps he has taken to facilitate debt relief for developing countries.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
HM Government is concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the debt vulnerabilities low-income developing countries, which were already at worrying levels before the crisis.
While the UK cancelled most of our low-income developing country debt under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, the Chancellor joined his G20 counterparts to commit to a temporary suspension on debt service repayments from the 77 poorest countries under the debt service suspension initiative (DSSI). Through the DSSI, official creditors will provide up to US$12bn of cash flow relief to help countries respond to the health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
The Chancellor and his counterparts will be meeting with his G20 counterparts later this month, in part to discuss DSSI implementation. The DSSI provides the breathing room for countries to respond to the crisis and for the international community to determine what further support may be needed for countries on a case-by-case basis. If debts do require restructuring, the UK will work with the Paris Club of official creditors, IMF, and WBG to support equitable debt reductions and long-term sustainable growth.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the valuation of properties under the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Domestic Property) (Wales) Order 2010, what guidance his Department has issued to the Valuation Office Agency on non-domestic properties that have been let out to key workers during the covid-19 pandemic; and what discussions he has had with representatives from the Welsh Government on that matter.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Business rates and ratings are devolved in Wales, and are therefore a matter for the Welsh Government.
In England, to be classed as non-domestic property the owner must have made the property available for commercial short-term letting for at least 140 days in the last year; to have actually let it for a total of at least 70 days; and have arranged for it to be available on the same basis over the next 12 months.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will he take steps to ensure that the Valuation Office Agency classifies accommodation let out to key workers on reduced rates as being commercially let and in fulfilment with the specified time periods for short-term letting availability.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Business rates and ratings are devolved in Wales, and are therefore a matter for the Welsh Government.
In England, to be classed as non-domestic property the owner must have made the property available for commercial short-term letting for at least 140 days in the last year; to have actually let it for a total of at least 70 days; and have arranged for it to be available on the same basis over the next 12 months.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what target the Government has set for recruiting new HMRC customs agents by 1 January 2021; how many of those agents have been recruited as at 1 June 2020; how many of the 20,000 training courses have been applied for by (a) newly recruited agents and (b) current employees.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HMRC do not employ customs agents/customs intermediaries directly. The UK has a well-established industry of customs intermediaries which serve British businesses trading outside the EU. The sector is varied and made up of a number of different business models including specific customs brokers, freight forwarders and fast parcel operators; all of which require differing numbers of staff. Government support of £34m has been designed to meet the needs of the sector flexibly to build capacity by covering training and IT innovation, as well as recruitment.
This support has funded approximately 20,000 training courses in customs processes and procedures and the creation of a new UK Customs Academy to provide online training courses and industry-recognised qualifications.
The sector is encouraged to innovate flexibly to meet demand and as such HMRC do not prescribe whether training support should be for existing or new staff.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to establish a free port in Milford Haven.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
We plan to introduce up to 10 Freeports across the UK which will be national hubs for trade, investment and innovation. We want to ensure that this is a UK wide offer, not just for England, and we are working with the DAs to pursue this.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether an economic impact assessment has been undertaken on a potential free port in Milford Haven.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
We will take on board suggestions and feedback about our proposed policy from stakeholders during the Freeport consultation to ensure the policy is grounded in local needs and ambitions.
Specific locations will then be chosen in due course according to a fair, transparent and robust allocation process. HM Treasury will not be assessing the detail of individual ports’ infrastructure requirements ahead of that.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department last met with Milford Haven Port Authority to discuss a potential free port in Milford Haven.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
HM Treasury has not met specifically with Milford Haven Port Authority to discuss a potential Freeport in Milford Haven. We would welcome a response from Milford Haven Port Authority to the consultation.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the additional infrastructure that will be required to support a free port in Milford Haven.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Specific locations will be chosen in due course according to a fair, transparent and robust allocation process. HM Treasury will not be assessing the detail of individual ports’ infrastructure requirements ahead of that.