Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of hypothecating revenue from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme revenue for spending on (a) industrial decarbonisation R&D, (b) industrial decarbonisation project grants and (c) subsidies for low carbon production.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Receipts from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is not hypothecated towards specific projects. A floating carbon price means that revenue from the scheme is uncertain. Receipts currently help to fund public services including the Net Zero transition, such as:
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions on extending the reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector until March 2021 to hair, beauty, spa and wellness services.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July to support the cash flow and viability of over 150,000 businesses and protect 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors, and will run until 31 March 2021. This relief comes at a significant cost to the Exchequer, and there are currently no plans to extend the scope to include other sectors.
The Government has announced a significant support package to help businesses through the winter months, which includes an extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, an extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant, and an extension of the application window for the government-backed loan schemes.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the VAT reduction for personal protective equipment beyond 31 October 2020.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The temporary zero rate of VAT on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was an extraordinary measure to help affected sectors (such as hospitals and care homes) during the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and when the global supply of PPE did not meet demand. The zero rate applies to PPE that meets the standard set out in the guidance from Public Health England (PHE).
This measure will come to an end on 31 October (as legislated), as new measures introduced by the Government will ensure supply of COVID-19 related PPE to affected sectors from 1 November. Face coverings that do not meet the standard set by PHE should not be affected by the temporary zero rate coming to an end.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each month since January 2019.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
HM Treasury has spent the below on (a) opinion polling in the periods under question:
September 2019 | November 2019 | May 2020 | June 2020 | Total |
£3,000 | £2,400 | £13,188 | £6,828 | £25,416 |
The recent increase was partially to help understand public perceptions in order to inform the government’s response to the pandemic in the Spring Budget.
HM Treasury has spent no amounts on focus groups in the periods under question.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time taken by the Valuation Office Agency is to complete a business rateable value check.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Since the Check, Challenge, Appeal system was introduced, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has received 82,300 Checks, 87% of which have been resolved. The Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 allow for up to 12 months to complete a Check unless an extension is agreed. If an extension is not agreed the customer has the right to progress to Challenge. Some cases are more complex than others and this can affect the time taken to resolve them.
As at 31 March 2019, the average time taken by the VOA to complete a Check is 54 calendar days.
Of the Checks outstanding;
(a) 1,504 have been outstanding for more than three months;
(b) 757 have been outstanding for more than six months; and
(c) Fewer than five have been outstanding for over 12 months. Statistical disclosure guidelines mean the precise figure is too small to publish.
Details of the longest time taken to complete a Check cannot be provided due to the possibility of breaching disclosure guidelines.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many business rateable value checks made by the Valuation Office Agency have been outstanding for more than (a) three, (b) six and (c) 12 months.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Since the Check, Challenge, Appeal system was introduced, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has received 82,300 Checks, 87% of which have been resolved. The Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 allow for up to 12 months to complete a Check unless an extension is agreed. If an extension is not agreed the customer has the right to progress to Challenge. Some cases are more complex than others and this can affect the time taken to resolve them.
As at 31 March 2019, the average time taken by the VOA to complete a Check is 54 calendar days.
Of the Checks outstanding;
(a) 1,504 have been outstanding for more than three months;
(b) 757 have been outstanding for more than six months; and
(c) Fewer than five have been outstanding for over 12 months. Statistical disclosure guidelines mean the precise figure is too small to publish.
Details of the longest time taken to complete a Check cannot be provided due to the possibility of breaching disclosure guidelines.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the longest time taken by the Valuation Office Agency was to complete a business rateable value check in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Since the Check, Challenge, Appeal system was introduced, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has received 82,300 Checks, 87% of which have been resolved. The Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 allow for up to 12 months to complete a Check unless an extension is agreed. If an extension is not agreed the customer has the right to progress to Challenge. Some cases are more complex than others and this can affect the time taken to resolve them.
As at 31 March 2019, the average time taken by the VOA to complete a Check is 54 calendar days.
Of the Checks outstanding;
(a) 1,504 have been outstanding for more than three months;
(b) 757 have been outstanding for more than six months; and
(c) Fewer than five have been outstanding for over 12 months. Statistical disclosure guidelines mean the precise figure is too small to publish.
Details of the longest time taken to complete a Check cannot be provided due to the possibility of breaching disclosure guidelines.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to use the revenue raised from the soft drinks industry levy to fund oral health improvement programmes for children.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Treasury is working closely with other Departments to deliver the objectives of the levy, including programmes to reduce obesity and encourage physical activity and balanced diets.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people pay tax through PAYE with two or more employers concurrently; and of those people, how many have a combined gross income of less than £17,160 per year.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to reduce in-work poverty.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Work is the best route out of poverty, which is why this Government is focused on getting people into employment. Since 2010, 2.5 million more people are in work and average household incomes are at a record high.
We are reforming the tax and benefit system to ensure work will always pay more than a life on benefits. That is why we are raising the tax-free personal allowance to £11,500 in April 2017, meaning 1.3m individuals will have been taken out of income tax altogether since 2015. This enables people to keep more of what they earn. We are also introducing Universal Credit which is designed to reduce poverty, ensure work pays and strengthen incentives to progress in work.
We have introduced the National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and above, representing a pay rise of £900 this year for a full time workers on the minimum wage.
The Government is also providing additional support for families by increasing childcare funding within UC from 70% to 85% of eligible costs, introducing Tax Free Childcare and extending free early years childcare for working parents from 15 to 30 hours.