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Written Question
Beer and Cider: Tax Allowances
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2024 to Question 14382 on Beer and Cider: Tax Allowances, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the rules relating to off-site consumption of products covered by Draught Relief on the volume of beer and cider wasted at (a) beer and cider festivals and (b) community pubs.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government engaged extensively with external stakeholders as part of the development and delivery process for the new alcohol duty system, including in relation to Draught Relief.

HMRC has published guidance explaining the changes, including in relation to Draught Relief, and ran 3 webinars for businesses - a recording of the webinar is available at: HMRC email updates, videos and webinars for Alcohol Duty - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). HMRC has also worked with trade associations to ensure they share the guidance with their members.

HMRC has also published a tax information and impact note setting out the impact of the measure, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reform-of-the-alcohol-duty-system/reform-of-alcohol-duty-rates-and-reliefs#summary-of-impacts

The Government will evaluate the impact of the new rates and structures three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023.


Written Question
Beer and Cider: Tax Allowances
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February to Question 14382 on Beer and Cider: Tax Allowances, what steps he has taken to raise awareness of the change in rules on takeaway draught sales for (a) beer and cider festivals and (b) community pubs.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government engaged extensively with external stakeholders as part of the development and delivery process for the new alcohol duty system, including in relation to Draught Relief.

HMRC has published guidance explaining the changes, including in relation to Draught Relief, and ran 3 webinars for businesses - a recording of the webinar is available at: HMRC email updates, videos and webinars for Alcohol Duty - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). HMRC has also worked with trade associations to ensure they share the guidance with their members.

HMRC has also published a tax information and impact note setting out the impact of the measure, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reform-of-the-alcohol-duty-system/reform-of-alcohol-duty-rates-and-reliefs#summary-of-impacts

The Government will evaluate the impact of the new rates and structures three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023.


Written Question
Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges
Thursday 18th January 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Payment Systems Regulator on ATM interchange fees.

Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-giftsand-overseas-travel


Written Question
Exports: VAT
Monday 18th December 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had recent discussions with the (a) retail and (b) travel industries on the impact of the withdrawal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme on those industries.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the UK’s economic and finance ministry, HM Treasury has regular discussions with representatives from a wide range of industries including travel and retail as well as business representative organisations covering many sectors.

As announced in the Autumn Statement, the government is continuing to accept representations from industry on the impact of this policy decision, and considering this evidence alongside broader data.


Written Question
Credit Unions
Monday 20th November 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to help (a) support and (b) promote credit unions.

Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is a strong supporter of credit unions, recognising the vital role that they play in the financial wellbeing of their communities, providing savings and affordable loans to their members. The Government is committed to ensuring that credit unions are supported in maximising their growth and success.

This summer, the Government amended the Credit Unions Act 1979 so that credit unions in Great Britain can offer a wider range of products and services. These changes allow credit unions to offer hire purchase agreements, conditional sale agreements, and insurance distribution services, diversifying their income streams. This will enable credit unions to continue to grow sustainably for the future and supports them in the vital role they play in financial inclusion.

Additionally, to date, the Government has allocated £145 million in dormant assets funding to Fair4All Finance which works to improve the availability of affordable credit, including through support for community finance providers.

The Government is continuing to work with credit unions and other industry members to assess how we can best support the sector going forward.


Written Question
Bank Services: Homelessness and Refugees
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help support (a) homeless people and (b) refugees obtain a bank account.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to improving access to financial services and recognises that access to a transactional bank account is key to enabling people to manage their money on a day-to-day basis effectively, securely and confidently. That is why the Payment Account Regulations 2015 require the largest UK banking providers to provide fee-free Basic Bank Accounts to anyone who doesn’t already have a current account

These regulations explicitly include consumers with no fixed address and asylum seekers. Firms will still need to carry out checks to verify consumers’ identities when they first open an account but are encouraged to be flexible regarding the types of documents they will accept, such as a referral letter from a homeless shelter.

The Government has also worked with the financial services industry to provide guidance to support firms to open basic bank accounts to refugees coming to the UK from specific countries, such as arrivals from Afghanistan and Ukraine. To date, over 75,000 basic bank accounts have been opened by Ukrainian nationals arriving in the UK.


Written Question
Money: Greater Manchester
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision for cash payments in Greater Manchester.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government recognises that, to support people’s ability to continue to transact using cash, businesses need reasonable access to cash deposit facilities to support them to keep accepting cash.

The government therefore legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish the Financial Conduct Authority as the lead regulator for access to cash and provide it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.

The government considers that this legislation will support organisations, including local businesses, to continue accepting cash by ensuring that they have reasonable access to cash deposit facilities.


Written Question
Public Services: Mileage Allowances
Monday 4th September 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of levels of HMRC mileage and fuel rates and allowances on frontline public service workers.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As with all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps the AMAP rate under review. In considering changes to the AMAP rate, the Government has to balance the responsible management of public finances, which fund our essential public services with support for individuals.


Written Question
Public Services: Mileage Allowances
Tuesday 25th July 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of Unison’s report entitled Driven out of work: the impact of mileage rates on frontline public service workers, published in June 2023; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

As with all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) rate under review. In considering changes to the AMAP rate, the Government has to balance the responsible management of public finances, which fund our essential public services with support for individuals.

Petrol and diesel prices continue to be volatile given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and inflation remains high. So, at Spring Budget 2023 the Government announced continued support for households and businesses by maintaining the rates of fuel duty at the levels set on 23 March 2022 for an additional 12 months, by extending the temporary 5 pence fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned inflation increase for 2023-2024. That represents a saving for all drivers this year of overall around £5billion and for the average car driver around £100.


Written Question
Mortgages: Defaulters
Monday 26th June 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of mortgage defaults in Stockport constituency in each of the next twelve months.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We recognise this will be a concerning time for homeowners and mortgage holders. Anyone worried about making their mortgage repayments should speak to their lender as soon as possible.

Mortgage arrears and repossessions remain below pre-pandemic levels, which were themselves extremely low. The FCA reported 0.86% of total residential mortgage balances in arrears in the first quarter of 2023 which is significantly lower than the 3.32% rate in 2009. However, where mortgage borrowers do fall in financial difficulty, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to offer tailored support. This could include a range of measures depending on individual circumstances.

The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.