Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to recover funding awarded fraudulently through the Government's pandemic support schemes.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Our Covid-19 interventions helped millions of people and businesses through the worst effects of the pandemic. The Government prioritised getting money to those who needed it, with the schemes designed to minimise fraud while not unnecessarily delaying payments.
The Government has created the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), with £24.7 million of new funding in the current SR period to support public bodies and departments to better understand and reduce the impact of fraud.
The Government also invested over £100 million over two years in the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce to combat fraud in the HMRC support schemes. Up to the end of September, HMRC has recovered overpayments or prevented payments being made of claims worth over £1.6 billion. HMRC is still committed to the recovery of Covid-19 support scheme error and fraud.
The Government is also committed to bearing down on fraud in the Covid Loan Schemes. £13.2 million has been allocated to the National Investigation Service over three years to double their investigative capacity on Bounce Back Loans and fund enforcement activity. £10.9 million has been allocated to the British Business Bank over three years to boost their counter fraud and assurance programme.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Royal Mint Advisory Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Further information on the Royal Mint can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/royal-mint-trading-fund-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much NS and I spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Further information on NS and I can be found in its annual report here: https://nsandi-corporate.com/performance/annual-reports.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Reclaim Fund Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Reclaim Fund Ltd is funded through investment income and does not rely on any taxpayer funding for its operation, including training.
Further information on Reclaim Fund Ltd can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reclaim-fund-ltd-annual-report-and-accounts-202223.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Royal Mint spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Further information on the Royal Mint can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/royal-mint-trading-fund-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much UK Government Investments spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Further information on UK Government Investments can be found in its annual report here: https://www.ukgi.org.uk/2023/07/18/uk-government-investments-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-23-2/.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much UK Asset Resolution Limited spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government Internal Audit Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Commission v United Kingdom (Fiscal marking of gas oil) on 28 September 2023.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
This case concerns rules on markers used to distinguish rebated fuel used in private pleasure craft (PPC), which began at a time when the UK was an EU member state.
The fine of €32m is disappointing because the original 2018 judgment ruling that the UK was in contravention of the EU Fiscal Marking Directive was implemented as quickly as possible given the UK’s unique circumstances. The UK is a nation that honours its obligations, and we will meet our obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement.
From 1 October 2021, diesel-powered PPC in Northern Ireland have not been permitted to refuel with rebated (‘red’) diesel. Alongside this change, the government introduced a relief scheme to cover diesel used for non-propulsion purposes (e.g. heating and lighting the boat). This concluded the UK’s implementation of the 2018 judgment of the CJEU.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the National Infrastructure Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.