Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing taxes on the land based gambling sector on (a) jobs and (b) high street investment.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government makes tax policy decisions at fiscal events. If any changes are made to gambling duties at Budget, legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of VAT on incentives to refurbish void properties in the social housing sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government confirmed an initial £1.29bn of funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund 2025-2028 at the 2024 Autumn Budget. The Government will provide £13.2bn of housing retrofit funding to 2030, delivering our manifesto pledge.
Residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of zero-rating VAT on the refurbishment of social housing.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government confirmed an initial £1.29bn of funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund 2025-2028 at the 2024 Autumn Budget. The Government will provide £13.2bn of housing retrofit funding to 2030, delivering our manifesto pledge.
Residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support (a) low and (b) middle-income households with the cost of living.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Living standards, as measured by Real Household Disposable Income per capita, are expected to increase by an annual average of 0.5% over this parliament (Q3 2024 – Q2 2029). This is in stark contrast to the previous parliament which was the worst for living standards growth since ONS records began in 1955.
The Government has set out a Plan for Change, outlining our ambitious yet achievable milestones, including raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom to ensure working people have more money in their pockets.
Specific actions already taken by the Government include: increasing to the National Living Wage from April 2025; extension of the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales in 2025-26; and introduction of a new Fair Repayment Rate from April 2025 to cap debt repayments made through Universal Credit.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what role a) climate and b) nature experts perform in the creation of economic policy in her Department.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury works across government to leverage expertise on climate and nature issues. HM Treasury also engages extensively with external stakeholders to inform related economic policy, as we recognise the value of incorporating expertise from outside government in addition to our internal capability.
The Green Book requires HM Treasury and other government departments to assess the climate and environmental impacts of policy proposals as part of their appraisal of costs and benefits. Within that, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued supplementary guidance for policy makers to consider the value of a natural capital approach. Similarly, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has issued supplementary guidance on the valuation of energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to increase Real Household Disposable Income per person in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per capita is a measure of UK living standards. The main route to higher living standards is through good, productive jobs, stable employment, and a thriving business environment. Growth must be felt in every nation and region. Through the growth mission, the government will deliver a milestone of higher living standards in every part of the United Kingdom by the end of the Parliament.
In its October 2024 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts living standards, as measured by RHDI per capita, to grow by an annual average of 0.5% over the parliament.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made any assessment of the potential impact of duty free arrivals stores on the revenue generation of (a) UK travel hubs, (b) Newcastle International Airport and (c) other regional airports.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Business and Trade)
The Treasury does not hold data relating to individual airports’ sales and revenue.
Duty-free on arrival would place additional pressure on the public finances to which excise duty makes a significant contribution. Tax generated by the Government helps fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education, and defence.
Although there are no plans to introduce a duty-free on arrival scheme, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of how much and what proportion of annual revenue generated by (a) Newcastle International Airport and (b) other regional airports is non-aeronautical; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing duty free stores on arrivals on that level of revenue.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Business and Trade)
The Treasury does not hold data relating to individual airports’ sales and revenue.
Duty-free on arrival would place additional pressure on the public finances to which excise duty makes a significant contribution. Tax generated by the Government helps fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education, and defence.
Although there are no plans to introduce a duty-free on arrival scheme, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the European Commission's policy document entitled Review of the VAT rules applicable to travel and tourism sector: meeting with stakeholders, published on 19 October 2022, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed introduction of arrivals duty free in the EU on trends in the level of departure sales at UK airports.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Business and Trade)
The UK has extended airside duty-free shopping to all passengers leaving the UK, including those travelling to the EU, meaning passengers can benefit from duty-free shopping in UK airports before travelling to their destination.
Whilst the Government has no plans to introduce duty-free for arrivals in the UK, we keep all tax policy under review and consider all available evidence.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of personal allowances on bringing excise and non-excise into the (a) UK and (b) EU on tax revenues.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Passengers arriving in Great Britain from outside the UK, and those arriving in Northern Ireland from outside the EU do not need to make a formal declaration for goods that fall within the allowances.
Consequently, we do not hold any information in relation to the tax revenue on goods brought into the UK that are within the permitted allowances. We also do not have access to information on EU tax revenue.
Therefore, we are unable to make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of personal allowances on UK and EU tax revenues.