Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been raised from the soft drinks industry levy in the last 12 months; and what estimate he has made of likely revenue from that levy in the next three years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Soft Drinks Industry Levy comes into force in April 2018, and as such has raised no revenue in the last 12 months.
At the Budget in March 2017, the Chancellor announced that the levy is now forecast to raise approximately £385m per annum from April 2018, which is less than the £520m originally forecast due to strong reformulation responses from the industry. This is a central forecast independently verified by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
The Government will still fund the Department for Education’s budget with the £1 billion that the levy was originally expected to raise over this Parliament, including money to double the primary schools sports premium and deliver additional funding for school breakfast clubs, and £415 million to be invested in a new healthy pupils capital programme.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2016 to Question 47155, what progress has been made on (a) funding and (b) bringing forward legislative proposals on a breathing space mechanism for families in debt.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The government committed to exploring whether some form of “breathing space” would be a useful and viable addition to the current range debt solutions available to consumers and creditors. Work is continuing on this review and government plans to report back shortly.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) guidance and (b) regulations apply to the allocation of Gift Aid funds by charities in receipt of such funds.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for ensuring charities and donors claim only the reliefs to which they are entitled. The legislation on Gift Aid is at sections 413 to 430 Income Tax Act 2007. Guidance for donors can be found at https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid. Guidance for charities can be found at https://www.gov.uk/claim-gift-aid/overview.
It is the role of the Charity regulators to ensure charities are publicly accountable for the management of their funds (including Gift Aid) and have used them for their stated charitable purposes. The Charity Commission is responsible for the regulation of all charities in England and Wales. Charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland are regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland respectively.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the Alternative Fuels Framework's (a) effectiveness and (b) criteria.
Answered by Jane Ellison
We continue to keep the Alternative Fuels Framework under review, as well as the fuel duties that fall within it.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the public purse of the sale of the Government's remaining RBS shares.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government conducted an initial sale of RBS shares in August 2015, raising £2.1bn for the taxpayer.
The proceeds from sales contribute to reducing UK government debt.
Further sales will be conducted subject to market conditions, in order to maximise value for the taxpayer. The returns on the government’s interventions in RBS will be determined by the success of the whole of the selling programme, rather than the terms achieved on the first few disposals.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 30272, what account he has made of the effect on economic growth of the recent reduction in fuel duty.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Government took into account a wide number of factors when considering the impact of freezing fuel duty at Budget 2016, including the impact on growth. HMRC/HM Treasury analysis published in 2014 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-the-dynamic-effects-of-fuel-duty-reductions
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what effect recent reductions in fuel duty have had on economic growth.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government recognises the link between low fuel prices and economic growth, which is why we have frozen fuel duty for the sixth year in a row.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress he has made on analysis of responses to the pension transfers and early exit charges consultation, launched by his Department in July 2015; and when he plans to publish the response to the consultation.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On Tuesday 19 January, the Chancellor announced his intention to legislate to place a duty on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to cap excessive early exit charges for those eligible to access the pension freedoms. This new duty will form part of the response to the government’s Pension Transfers and Early Exit Charges consultation, and will help people take full advantage of the pension freedoms. The government will be publishing its full response to this consultation shortly.