Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department have met representatives from CK Group since 2019.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has introduced any exemptions to the current documentary requirements to allow the process of delivering aid to EU countries to assist Ukrainian refugees to be expedited in particular in relation to MRN numbers.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Businesses and individuals sending goods as in kind donations to assist Ukrainian refugees have to follow UK export guidance and comply with any import rules in the EU or other country that the goods are going to. UK businesses can contact the Export Support Service by phone or online for advice.
The Government understands that people in the UK want to help. The Government advises that businesses and individuals should give money through trusted charities and humanitarian aid organisations, rather than donating in kind assistance, such as blankets and clothing. Trusted humanitarian partners will be regularly assessing the need and delivering the assistance required to meet those needs. The Disasters Emergency Committee appeal can be found here: https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Test and Trace Support Payment is liable to income tax; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Test and Trace Support Payment scheme in England and equivalent support schemes in the Devolved Administrations are linked to employment, and the legislative default is that these payments are liable to income tax. This is in line with the tax treatment of other COVID-19 support payments.
HM Revenue and Customs will use existing powers to gather data from local authorities on the payments made through this scheme. This information will be used to adjust the tax codes through the employer’s PAYE scheme for employees receiving Test and Trace Support Payments.
Such payments are normally liable to National Insurance Contributions (NICs), but the UK Government has granted a NICs exemption in England to reduce the administrative burden on the local authorities making the Test and Trace Support Payments and employers.
The UK Government is working with the Devolved Administrations to extend this NICs exemption to their equivalent schemes.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether people in receipt of the Test and Trace Support Payment will have a change applied to their PAYE code as a result of that payment having been made.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Test and Trace Support Payment scheme in England and equivalent support schemes in the Devolved Administrations are linked to employment, and the legislative default is that these payments are liable to income tax. This is in line with the tax treatment of other COVID-19 support payments.
HM Revenue and Customs will use existing powers to gather data from local authorities on the payments made through this scheme. This information will be used to adjust the tax codes through the employer’s PAYE scheme for employees receiving Test and Trace Support Payments.
Such payments are normally liable to National Insurance Contributions (NICs), but the UK Government has granted a NICs exemption in England to reduce the administrative burden on the local authorities making the Test and Trace Support Payments and employers.
The UK Government is working with the Devolved Administrations to extend this NICs exemption to their equivalent schemes.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to extend the timeframe for the (a) Job Retention Scheme and (b) Self-Employment Support Scheme for industries that are unable to resume economic activities as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Jesse Norman
After eight months of the CJRS, the scheme will close at the end of October. The SEISS will remain open for applications for the second and final grant until 19 October.
It is the case that some sectors will be affected by coronavirus for longer than others, and the Government will seek to support those sectors appropriately.
The Government will continue to engage with businesses and representative groups with the aim of ensuring that support provided is right for those sectors and for the economy as a whole.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings Ministers of his Department have had in the last three months with representatives of the aviation industry on tackling the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of stakeholders across sectors as part of ongoing policy development and implementation.
Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport are in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of UK airports since the start covid-19 outbreak; and what the frequency of those meetings were.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of stakeholders across sectors as part of ongoing policy development and implementation.
Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport are in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate for the effect of potential price rises in fuel and food for low-income families in the North West in the event the UK leaving the EU with no deal.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The Government has been clear that should there be no deal, we would support the economy through whatever appropriate action is necessary.HM Treasury routinely monitors existing economic conditions and risks, and the Government has a range of mechanisms available to support vulnerable people from price rises.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on the cost of living for low-income families in Garston and Halewood constituency.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
We would prefer to leave with a deal, and we will work in an energetic and determined way to get that better deal.
The Government is turbocharging preparations to ensure we are ready to leave on 31 October, and all necessary funds will be made available.
HM Treasury routinely monitors economic conditions and risks, and the Government has a range of mechanisms available to support vulnerable people and low resilience places. Furthermore, officials estimate the direct impact of spending decisions on household living standards, and this is a central consideration when allocating public funds. The most recent published record of this is at Budget 2018, and is available here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2018-documents
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the fiscal effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on the (a) automotive industry, (b) pharmaceutical industry and (c) food industry in the North West in the subsequent (i) three months and (ii) six months.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government has been stepping up preparations for this outcome. We have made more than £8 billion available to prepare for EU Exit since the referendum, including £2.1 billion specifically for No Deal planning.
The government is monitoring businesses and sectors which may be exposed to short-term difficulties as a result of EU Exit. We are considering how best to support businesses across the country in the run up to or immediately after EU Exit.