Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the contribution limits for (a) Share Incentive Plans and (b) Save As You Earn in line with inflation.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
In 2014 the government doubled the contribution limits for the Share Incentive Plans and Save As You Earn schemes from £250 to £500 per month. There are no current plans to change these limits. The government keeps all areas of the tax system under review.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the operation of employee share ownership plans to identify measures to improve and simplify the administration of such schemes.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
An Employee Share Ownership Plan provides a company's workforce with an ownership interest in the company. The Government has no immediate plans to change the schemes but continues to keep employee share schemes policy under review.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of potential merits of reducing the five-year holding period for Share Incentive Plans to three-years.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Share Incentive Plans were introduced to encourage employee share ownership and are designed to provide companies with flexibility to meet their business needs. The scheme is also designed to incentivise staff retention. The Government continues to keep employee share scheme policy under review.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the (a) plans for and (b) timings of the planned closure of the HM Revenue and Customs facility in Southend.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) plans to move to regional centres is part of the wider Government strategy to develop Government hubs. This will help to maximise flexibility, collaboration and customer service while reducing costs to the taxpayer. HMRC is not intending to make any significant changes to its already announced strategy.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many British vessels have been prosecuted for using red diesel in (a) non-UK European waters and (b) waters controlled by the government of Belgium.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Government does not hold this information.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make representations to the Belgian government on allowing owners of UK leisure craft to use Belgian port facilities without fear of prosecution where those vessels are powered by red diesel purchased in the UK in accordance with UK tax regulations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The use of red diesel with full duty paid to propel private pleasure craft is allowed within UK waters under UK legislation. If red diesel is used outside UK waters the national legislation, including restrictions and prohibitions, of other Member States applies. This includes Belgium, or any other country in whose coastal waters it is used.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library the underlying data to Chart B.5 on page 97 of the Budget 2014 Red Book in (a) percentage of gross domestic product and (b) £ million.
Answered by Priti Patel
The data (the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast for debt in 2015-16 and HM Treasury projections for debt in 2035-36 under different policy assumptions with and without illustrative shocks) has been placed in the Library of the House. The forecast and projections have been provided both as a percentage of GDP and in £million in today’s terms.