Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding her Department has allocated to the Pension Credit Week of Action campaign, launched on 2 September 2024.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to, including their Winter Fuel Payment. We will continue to maximise opportunities to promote Pension Credit – such as the recent Week of Action - and to raise awareness of its wider benefits and to encourage pensioners to apply.
In the five weeks following the Chancellor’s statement on 29 July we have seen a 115% increase in claims for Pension Credit, compared to the five weeks before. This is a welcome increase, but we must continue to raise awareness. We are now focusing on a paid media partnership and a national Pension Credit marketing campaign through to 21 December to maximise take-up.
Campaign activity is funded from DWP's budget. We will confirm department's control totals for 2024-25, and expenditure limits for 2025-26 alongside the Budget on 30 October.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of the National Wealth Fund will be allocated to (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.
The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.
To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.
The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.
Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the devolved Administrations will have a role in determining where the National Wealth Fund is spent in those nations.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.
The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.
To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.
The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.
Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on the administration of the National Wealth Fund.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.
The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.
To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.
The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.
Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department plans to take to determine how the National Wealth Fund will be spent; and whether she plans to hold discussions with the devolved Administrations on such decisions.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.
The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.
To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.
The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.
Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending tax reporting periods for freelancers in the creative sectors.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The deadlines for individuals submitting self-assessment tax returns are prescribed in legislation. Individuals have specific reporting deadlines which are dependent on whether they submit their returns online or on paper.
Individuals who might not know their exact profit by the relevant filing date may provide estimated figures in their return. They have 12 months from the filing deadline date to finalise their figures and make the appropriate amendment to their return.
There is no provision within the legislation to make distinctions between individuals with different professions or vocations such as creative freelancers.
There is however provision for a special relief for self-employed creators of literary or artistic works to average their profits over 2 years where certain conditions are met. This helps them even out fluctuating profits, smoothing their tax bills
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to (a) review the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment and (b) take fiscal steps to support employees and volunteers using their own vehicles in (i) rural and (ii) other areas.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)
Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee’s expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle, including employees in rural areas. These rates are also used by self-employed drivers to claim tax relief on business mileage (simplified motoring expenses). The AMAP rates are not mandatory, and employers can choose to pay more or less than the AMAP rate. It is therefore ultimately up to employers to determine the rate at which they reimburse their employees. The AMAP rate also applies to volunteers, and organisations using volunteers also do not need to use the AMAP rate, and can choose to pay more or less than the AMAP rate.
In considering changes to the AMAP/simplified motoring expenses rates, the Government has to balance support for individuals with the responsible management of public finances, which fund our essential public services.
However, the Government recognises that transport is a major cost for individuals and families. At Spring Statement 2022 the Government announced a temporary 12-month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre. In order to continue supporting all motorists, it will extend the 5p fuel duty cut, which is worth £100 to the average driver over the next year.
Like all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps the AMAP rate underreview, and any changes will be announced at a future fiscal event.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised from the Duty Stamps Scheme since the introduction of that scheme.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Duty stamps do not raise revenue, they are an anti-fraud measure that have helped secure the alcohol supply chain, making it more difficult for illicit products to infiltrate the market. HMRC’s tax gap estimate indicates that such measures are successfully keeping spirit’s fraud at historically low levels.
The Government is keen to support innovation in the alcohol sector. That is why, at Budget 2020, we announced plans to review alcohol duty with the aim of improving the current system to make it simpler, more economically rational and less administratively burdensome.
Following a Call for Evidence launched in October 2020, the Government is currently considering the responses. While scope of this review does not include duty stamps, HM Revenue and Customs will review the duty stamps policy when any changes to the alcohol regime have been developed.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to review the application of duty stamps on Scotch whisky and spirits.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Duty stamps do not raise revenue, they are an anti-fraud measure that have helped secure the alcohol supply chain, making it more difficult for illicit products to infiltrate the market. HMRC’s tax gap estimate indicates that such measures are successfully keeping spirit’s fraud at historically low levels.
The Government is keen to support innovation in the alcohol sector. That is why, at Budget 2020, we announced plans to review alcohol duty with the aim of improving the current system to make it simpler, more economically rational and less administratively burdensome.
Following a Call for Evidence launched in October 2020, the Government is currently considering the responses. While scope of this review does not include duty stamps, HM Revenue and Customs will review the duty stamps policy when any changes to the alcohol regime have been developed.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many instances of sprits and duty fraud have been successfully prosecuted since the introduction of the Duty Stamps Scheme.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC regularly publishes alcohol fraud prosecution data on the GOV.UK website. The most recent publication (Tackling alcohol smuggling: outputs – April 2016 to April 2019) shows that during the period April 2016 and March 2019 HMRC conducted 33 arrests with 25 convictions for offences relating to alcohol fraud. Figures for the periods since April 2019 will be published in due course.