Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2023 to Question 162259 on Travel: Insurance, whether his Department has taken recent steps with (a) insurers and (b) the regulator to help increase access to (i) suitable and (ii) affordable insurance for all people.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ensuring that everyone has access to suitable and affordable financial products and services is a priority for this Government. Last year, the Government published its Financial Inclusion Report 2021-22 which sets out the steps Government has taken to widen access to useful and affordable financial services for all, including insurance.
For example, in addition to the FCA signposting rules mentioned in my previous response, the Government has also worked with industry on wider issues around improving access to insurance, including other signposting initiatives. For instance, the Age Agreement, which we will review this year, offers support for older consumers struggling to access motor and travel insurance.
The FCA has also taken steps to ensure fairer outcomes for all motor and home insurance customers. As of 1 January 2022, insurers cannot charge renewing customers a higher price than they would pay if they were a new customer purchasing via the same channel.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to prevent travel insurance companies from discriminating against elderly travellers based on their medical history, including (a) requiring complete details of a potentially extensive medical history and (b) charging higher premiums for medical conditions that are no longer relevant.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government continues to work closely with insurers and the independent regulator to ensure that everyone has access to suitable and affordable insurance.
Insurers must treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules, although a well-functioning insurance market requires clear information from customers too. Since April 2021, the FCA requires firms offering retail travel insurance to signpost consumers to a directory of specialist providers if they are declined cover, offered cover with an exclusion, or charged a significantly higher premium for the medical coverage element.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2022 to Question 92309 on Tax Allowances: Disability, will he consider the potential merits of introducing a Deaf Person’s Tax Allowance that is equivalent to the Blind Person’s Tax Allowance.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and especially to the most vulnerable members of society, including those who are deaf. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to support households while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way. This support includes a further Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 in 2023-24 to people in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance. This is additional to the £150 payment for recipients of disability benefits in 2022 already announced as part of the Cost of Living package in May.
These payments can be received in addition to the other Cost of Living Payments for households on means-tested benefits, namely the £650 payment announced in May and the additional £900 payment announced at Autumn Statement. Individuals who have limited or no ability to work because of their disability or long-term health condition, and are in receipt of means-tested benefits such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the Universal Credit Health top up, are eligible for this support.
The Government is also supporting households with rising energy costs through the Energy Price Guarantee, the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme, and the £150 Council Tax rebate.
Any new income tax relief would only benefit those who pay income tax, whereas Government support payments can be targeted and include those who earn below the Personal Allowance. The Government will continue to keep all income tax reliefs and allowances under review.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the equity of Tax Allowance provisions for (a) blind and (b) deaf people in comparison to other tax taxpayers.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Blind Person's Allowance provides an extra amount of tax-free allowance for individuals who are registered as blind. The Government announced at Autumn statement 2022 that the Blind Person’s Allowance will be uprated by September CPI figure in 2023-24 to £2,870.
The Government also provides support to help disabled people with the additional costs associated with living with a disability via non-means-tested extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The Government provides specific support for those with disabilities who are unable to work in the form of incapacity benefits such as new style Employment and Support Allowance (for those who have paid 2-3 years of National Insurance contributions) and through the health component of Universal Credit (which is means-tested).
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the (a) overnight allowance for police officers working away from home overnight and (b) additional hardship allowance for those without proper accommodation is provided to forces as a taxable benefit.
Answered by Simon Clarke
Additional allowances paid to police officers such as subsistence, lodging and supplementary rent allowances are not taxable providing they have been paid in respect of duties performed away from the officer’s normal station. Additionally, the allowances must also have been provided on the basis that the temporary posting is not expected to and does not exceed 24 months.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussion officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on (a) the work of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and (b) preparations for the Government to continue its position as a significant donor at the Fund's seventh replenishment conference this year.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The events of the past few years have demonstrated the importance of long term investment in global health
Officials across government departments regularly discuss global health development policy, including the Global Fund
FCDO is looking forward to reviewing the Global Fund’s investment case once it is published. This investment case will underpin the funding for the seventh replenishment and will be considered as part of internal business planning within the SR21 settlement.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to extend (a) business rates relief and (b) the reduced 5 per cent rate of VAT.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses have paid no business rates for 15 months on their eligible properties. From 1 July, eligible premises will continue to benefit from a 66% capped relief as restrictions ease, until the end of March 2022. This means that over 90% of eligible businesses will receive the equivalent of a 75% reduction in their business rates bill across the financial year.
Budget 2021 also announced the extension of the temporary reduced rate of VAT (5%) for the tourism and hospitality sector. The relief will now end on 30 September 2021. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5% will be introduced for these goods and services to help businesses manage the transition back to the standard rate. The new rate will end on 31 March 2022.
This relief has cost over £7 billion and has helped support the cash flow and viability of 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs. While the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to extend the reduced rate of VAT further.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the risks to consumers of buy-now-pay later products.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market found several potential harms from interest-free buy now pay later products. The Government recognises those risks. That is why on 2 February the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy Now Pay Later products. On 17 March, the Government tabled an amendment to the Financial Services Bill to allow the Government to bring Buy Now Pay Later products into the scope of FCA regulation in a proportionate way.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the public purse has been in (a) grants and (b) payments to (i) developers and (ii) contractors in the renewable energy industry in response to the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on (A) revenue streams, (B) capital investment and (C) employment costs.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
There has been no sector-wide support offered by Government through grants or payments to the renewable energy industry in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, many companies within the renewable energy industry have been eligible to access the various UK-wide support schemes introduced to protect the economy, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme.
The Government also continues to support the deployment of large-scale renewable energy through the Contracts for Difference scheme.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will waive the limit on Small Donations Scheme claims against regular documented gift aid claims.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has no plans to waive this limit - known as the matching rule - because it is vital to protect the integrity of the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. The scheme has substantially fewer record-keeping requirements than Gift Aid which would make it vulnerable to fraud should the matching rule be waived.