Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support businesses with energy prices.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Exchequer Secretary (Treasury)
The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) will provide all eligible businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024.
It will also provide businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of energy use and trade intensity with a higher level of support.
This follows the unprecedented package of support for non-domestic users last winter provided through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what input his Department had in the policy-making process for the public consultation on an online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government’s commitment to consult on an online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt and sugar as part of the July obesity package, and the launch of the consultation on 10 November, were both subject to HM Treasury approval.
The Government is undertaking a full Regulatory Impact Assessment on the online ban to ensure the costs to business are captured and the benefits and the costs of all options are compared as per HM Treasury guidance. These assessments are independently assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee to ensure they are robust.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department was asked by (a) the Department for Health and Social Care and (b) Public Health England to undertake an (i) economic impact assessment and (ii) cost-benefit analysis of each proposal in the consultation on an online advertising ban for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is undertaking a full Regulatory Impact Assessment on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt to ensure the costs to business are captured and the benefits and the costs of all options are compared as per HM Treasury guidance. This assessments is undertaken jointly by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department of Culture Media and Sport, and is independently assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee to ensure it is robust.
The Department for Health and Social Care and the Department of Culture Media and Sport jointly published an evidence note alongside the consultation on this proposal. The evidence note is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/total-restriction-of-online-advertising-for-products-high-in-fat-sugar-and-salt-hfss/evidence-note.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support (a) employed and (b) self-employed people in the travel industry during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Following the implementation of further national restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, the Government has announced additional economic measures to provide financial support to employed and self-employed individuals, including those working in the travel industry.
The Government has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until March 2021 which will provide employees with 80 per cent of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The Government is providing broadly comparable support for the self-employed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, with grants raised to 80 per cent of average trading profits, up to £7,500 for 3 months.
These schemes are part of a £200bn package of support offered to businesses, including billions of pounds worth of loans, grants and tax deferrals, which will help protect jobs throughout the UK and across all sectors through the winter.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to support newly set up businesses during the second covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The Government understands this is a challenging time for businesses. To reduce the risk of fraudulent claims, eligibility for many of the Covid-19 support schemes require businesses to have been trading before the end of March.
However, newly formed businesses may be able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). Businesses are eligible for the CBILS if they are UK-based in their activity, with annual turnover of no more than £45m. For start-ups, or SMEs which have traded for less than 12 months, the lender should estimate turnover based upon the SME’s forecasted turnover for the first 12 months of trading. On 2 November, the Chancellor announced that the application deadline for CBILS has been further extended to 31 January 2021.
Businesses established more recently may also be able to access funds through the Local Restrictions Support Grant schemes (LRSG) and Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). To be eligible for the LRSG (Open) and LRSG (Closed) schemes at a local level, a business must have been trading on the date that local restrictions came into force. Local Authorities have been given discretion to use funds provided by the ARG as they see fit, but we encourage them to set up a discretionary grant scheme e.g. for those businesses who are affected by closures but are not legally required to close. Guidance was published on 3rd November 2020 and FAQs will shortly be issued to all Local Authorities.
Finally, newly established businesses will be able to furlough staff through the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Neither the employer nor the employee needs to have previously claimed or have been claimed for under CJRS to make a claim under the extended CJRS (if other eligibility criteria are met). The employer must have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 30 October 2020, notifying a payment of earnings for that employee.
In addition to these measures, the Government continues to support entrepreneurs through its network of 38 Local Growth Hubs and the Start-Up Loans programme, for which almost 74,000 loans have been issued since 2012.
As we head into the Winter, the Government is continuing to engage with businesses and representative groups to ensure the support provided to businesses, including those established more recently, is appropriate.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in his Department's human resources section in April 2020.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
There were 33 full time equivalent staff employed in HMT Treasury’s human resource section in April 2020.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from VAT on flight training in the last five years for which data is available.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on VAT revenues that can be broken down to the requested level of detail.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the level of business rates will next be reassessed; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Gauke
The next general revaluation for business rates in England will take effect from 1 April 2017 based on rental values at 1 April 2015.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the amount of inheritance tax that has been avoided by the use of Deed of Variations in the tax year (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.
Answered by David Gauke
The information requested is not available.
In the March 2015 Budget the Government announced that it would undertake a review of how deeds of variation are used for tax purposes. The findings from this review will be reported in the Autumn.