Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions officials in his Department have had with stakeholder groups on the approval of the Shared Outcome Fund bid for the creation of a National Skills Academy for Maritime (Shipbuilding).
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
HMT Officials are in regular contact with stakeholders. But it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, who are leading the National Skills Academy for Maritime bid, to engage with relevant stakeholders prior to submission of the bid.
This Government is committed to supporting people to develop the skills needed to get good jobs and improve national productivity. The Department for Education recently published the ‘Skills for Jobs’ White Paper which sets out how the government will put employers at the heart of the skills system to ensure skills provision meets local labour market needs.
The Shared Outcomes Fund encourage Departments to work together to overcome some of the most difficult social, environmental and economic challenges that sit across the areas of responsibility of multiple public sector organisations.
The second round of the Shared Outcomes Fund, announced at Spending Review 2020, will provide a further £200 million for projects to improve the join up across government.
The assessment process to award the funding is ongoing.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to waive income tax and national insurance for care workers who have received bonuses for their service during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Care workers have demonstrated remarkable commitment in the continuing fight against COVID-19. The Government hugely values and appreciates these vital contributions to the COVID-19 response, both in the private and public sector.
Under the longstanding rules of income tax, any payments made in connection with an employment, such as bonus payments, are chargeable to income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
The Government’s approach during COVID-19 has been consistent with these rules which have applied to support payments made under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme as well as COVID-19 related bonus payments made to care workers in Wales and Scotland.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the covid-19 stamp duty exemption beyond 31 March 2021.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The temporary increase in the Stamp Duty Land Tax nil rate band was designed to create immediate momentum within the property market, where property transactions fell by as much as 50 per cent during the COVID-19 lockdown. The downturn in the market meant that the future was uncertain for many people whose jobs relied on custom from the property industry. There are already early signs that demand and transactions have increased, and are continuing to rise, since the increase to the SDLT nil rate band was announced in July.
As the relief was designed to provide an immediate stimulus to the property market, the Government does not plan to extend this relief and will continue to monitor the property market.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available to employers whose staff need to self-isolate for a period during which time statutory sick pay would exceed the amount of state aid received by the employer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is committed to supporting businesses through this time and has announced an unprecedented level of financial support. This includes but is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Job Support Scheme, business loans, tax deferrals, the Future Fund, and a year-long business rates holiday for all eligible businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
Some of these schemes will constitute State Aid, such as the Small Business Grant Scheme and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Rebate Scheme. Businesses eligible for the SSP rebate may claim grants up to a total of €800,000, as provided for under the EU Commission’s COVID-19 State Aid Temporary Framework. This is a cumulative amount that must consider other forms of aid received as grants under the Framework. There is a lower grant allowance for agriculture at €100,000 and aquaculture and fisheries at €120,000.
Businesses may also be eligible for business support loans such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS). Under the Temporary Framework, loan schemes are not subject to the €800,000 allowance for grants.
In addition, some support schemes do not constitute State Aid. For example, businesses may be eligible for the CJRS, VAT Deferral, and Time to Pay, among others.
The combination of these and other measures constitutes an unprecedented programme of Government support for businesses to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the UKGI's compliance officer's official Protocol is in the event of a NED or UKGI employee's deliberate failure to declare a significant interest.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Staff or NEDs who do not declare a significant interest will be in breach of their contract of employment or letters of appointment respectively, and subject to appropriate disciplinary measures.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who the UKGI's annual declaration of interests compliance officer is.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
UKGI became operational from 1 April 2016. The compliance officer role was initially held by its Chief Operating Officer before transferring to its Chief Financial Officer. It is now held by its General Counsel.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has held the position of the UKGI's compliance officer for annual declaration of interests in the last 10 years.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
UKGI became operational from 1 April 2016. The compliance officer role was initially held by its Chief Operating Officer before transferring to its Chief Financial Officer. It is now held by its General Counsel.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to Question 86572, Answered on 24 September, whether the list of UKGI register of interests in publicly accessible.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
UKGI’s register of declared interests of its staff and non-executive directors is not publicly accessible. UKGI’s website and annual report and accounts contains short biographies of its non-executive directors which includes disclosure of significant external appointments.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2020 to Question 86572 on UK Government Investments, whether that list of declared interests is publicly available.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The declared interests of UKGI’s staff and non-executive directors are not made public. UKGI’s website and annual report and accounts contains short biographies of its non-executive directors which includes disclosure of significant external appointments.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support private investment in the UK maritime industry.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The maritime sector plays a key role in the UK economy, responsible for up to 95% of our imports and exports. As much of the UK maritime sector is privately owned, our world-leading companies are well placed to seek investment opportunities through commercial means.
The government works closely with all parts of the UK maritime sector to identify the support they need to support their success and growth. In particular, the Department for International Trade works closely with the industry to promote the UK as an inward investment destination for the global maritime community.