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Written Question
Council Tax: Shared Housing
Tuesday 8th November 2022

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that the Valuation Office Agency do not make bedrooms in single shared houses liable for council tax bills.

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

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a statutory duty to maintain accurate council tax bands and undertakes this duty independently of Ministers. The VOA makes banding decisions based on the facts in each case, with reference to relevant legislation and case law.

Some Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) have separate bands and other HMO properties are aggregated with a single council tax band. Decisions are based on the individual characteristics of the property, considering the nature of the occupation and the degree of physical adaptation. These decisions are supported by legislation and case law.

The VOA’s Council Tax manual provides further guidance about the assessment of HMO properties in practice note 6: www.gov.uk/guidance/council-tax-manual/council-tax-practice-notes#PN6


Written Question
National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service
Monday 5th September 2022

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date following the publication in September 2015 of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation briefing entitled Search for a Central London site did their Department become aware of the plan to site the memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens.

Answered by Simon Clarke

Since 2015, HM Treasury has been working closely with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to deliver on this Government’s manifesto commitment to construct the UK Holocaust Memorial.


Written Question
Multiple Occupation
Monday 22nd November 2021

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) policies or (b) practices of the Valuation Office have changed in relation to (i) houses in multiple occupation and (ii) for bedsitting rooms.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

There has been no change in the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) policy or practices when assessing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or bedsitting rooms for Council Tax. The VOA’s listing officers make their valuation decisions based on the facts in each case, with reference to relevant legislation and case law. As such, some HMOs are assessed as multiple dwellings and others as a single dwelling.

The VOA has a statutory duty to maintain an accurate Council Tax list. The VOA acts on information received from external sources, including local authorities and other taxpayers, if it is believed that a property’s assessment may be incorrect or needs to be reviewed.

Further information is available in the Council Tax Manual, practice note 6: premises in multiple occupation: www.gov.uk/guidance/council-tax-manual/council-tax-practice-notes#PN6


Written Question
Gaming Machines: VAT
Thursday 4th February 2021

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the trade association for the amusement machine industry and supply chain (BACTA) on its eligibility for the VAT reduction to 5 per cent; and if he agree to attend a meeting with BACTA.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has provided extensive guidance on the VAT treatment of cross-border goods and services following the end of the transition period and is committed to supporting businesses to enable them to continue to trade.

As with all tax measures, where new changes have been introduced, the Government includes its assessment of the impacts of the changes in Tax Information and Impact Notes. Notes for measures recently legislated for in the Taxation (Post-transition Period) Act were published alongside that legislation.


Written Question
Public Health: Finance
Tuesday 17th November 2020

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the forthcoming spending review, if his Department will preserve the current ring-fence on public health funding for local authorities.

Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Details on public health funding for local authorities for 21/22 will be set out at the Spending Review on 25 November.

Investing in prevention is a vital part of the NHS Long Term Plan to help people live longer, healthier lives. In 2020/21, we invested £3.279 billion in local authority public health services through the Public Health Grant, in addition to what the NHS spent on preventative interventions such as immunisation and screenings.


Written Question
Self-employed: Coronavirus
Wednesday 3rd June 2020

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce temporary support based on PAYE data for freelance workers who have not been registered for support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme by previous employers.

Answered by Jesse Norman

An employee on a fixed term contract can be re-employed, furloughed and claimed for, if either: their contract expired after 28 February 2020 and an RTI payment submission for the employee was notified to HMRC on or before 28 February 2020, or their contract expired after 19 March 2020 and an RTI payment submission for the employee was notified to HMRC on or before 19 March 2020. The decision to furlough an employee must be agreed by both the employer and employee.

The Government is also supporting people on low incomes who need to rely on the welfare system through a significant package of temporary measures. This includes a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants.?These changes will benefit new and existing claimants. Anyone can check their eligibility and apply for Universal Credit by visiting?https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit. In addition, many freelance workers may be eligible for the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.


Written Question
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Public Sector
Monday 11th May 2020

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether public sector employees under PAYE on zero-hours contracts are eligible for the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in the event that those employees are unable to be redeployed.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government expects that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will not be used by many public sector organisations, as most public sector employees are continuing to provide essential public services or contributing to the response to the coronavirus outbreak. Where employers receive public funding for staff costs, and that funding is continuing, the Government expect employers to use that money to continue to pay staff in the usual fashion, and correspondingly not furlough them. This also applies to non-public sector employers who receive public funding for staff costs. Organisations who are receiving public funding specifically to provide services necessary to respond to COVID-19 are not expected to furlough staff. In a small number of cases, for example where organisations are not primarily funded by the Government and whose staff cannot be redeployed to assist with the coronavirus response, the scheme may be appropriate for some staff. Employees on any type of employment contract are eligible for the scheme, including those on zero-hours contracts.


Written Question
Wines
Friday 13th March 2020

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the value to the economy of the British wine and sparkling wine industry in each of the last five years.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government recognises the important role that wine, and the wine industry, plays in our economy and society. At Budget 2020 the Chancellor announced a freeze on wine duty, making the price of a bottle of wine 5p lower than it would have been had prices risen with inflation.


Written Question
Whisky: Scotland
Friday 13th March 2020

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the value to the economy of the Scottish whisky industry in each of the last five years.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government recognises the important role of the Scottish whisky industry in Scotland, and in the UK economy.

At Budget 2020 the Chancellor announced a freeze on spirits duty, and a range of other measures to support the industry, including an additional £1m to promote Scottish food and drink products overseas.


Written Question
Gaming Machines
Wednesday 31st October 2018

Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money that is lost by gamblers on fixed odds betting terminals is retained by (a) betting firms and (b) HM Government in each month in the last three years.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

HM Revenue & Customs publishes a breakdown of revenue for Machine Games Duty here: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx

A separate breakdown for revenue from different machine types is not available. HMRC cannot make any assessment of the amount retained by betting firms.