To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
British Nationals Abroad: Self-assessment
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with HMRC on the potential merits of allowing British citizens overseas to file tax returns online.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC provides free software that allows the vast majority of Self Assessment customers to file their returns online. Certain small groups, including UK citizens living overseas, cannot use this software. They need either to file on paper or to purchase and use commercial software in order to file their returns online. HMRC aims to make its free software available to this group in future but has no immediate plans to do so.

HMRC offers support and guidance to non-UK resident customers through its dedicated Self Assessment telephone helpline on +44 161 931 9070. More information can be found here - Self Assessment: general enquiries - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).


Written Question
Plastics: Taxation
Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMRC's consultation on Plastic Packaging Tax - chemical recycling and adoption of a mass balance approach, published on 18 July 2023, when he plans to publish his response.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government’s consultation on whether to accept a mass balance approach in relation to chemically recycled plastic for the purposes of the Plastic Packaging Tax closed on 10 October 2023. The government would like to thank respondents for their representations.

The government is currently analysing responses and will publish a summary of responses document and next steps in due course.


Written Question
Plastics: Taxation
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Plastic Packaging Tax in raising the volume of recycled plastic used in packaging materials.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Plastic Packaging Tax was introduced in April 2022 to encourage businesses to include more recycled plastic in packaging. This will increase demand for recycled plastic, which will stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste.

In April 2023 the government announced it will evaluate the Plastic Packaging Tax, using analysis of environmental and tax data to assess the impact of the measure.

Further information will be available in the evaluation plan, which will be published in due course.


Written Question
Plastics: Taxation
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what revenue was generated by the Plastic Packaging Tax in 2022-23.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The data requested is available in the HM Revenue and Customs publication: Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) Statistics.

Please refer to Table 1 & 2 of the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) statistics tables in this publication.


Written Question
Public Houses
Thursday 19th October 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of pubs that have been (a) demolished, (b) converted and (c) sold in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not hold data at this granular level. We do believe that pubs make an important contribution to our culture, fostering a sense of place and community, and the UK economy. And we understand the challenges pubs are facing.

That is why the alcohol duty system, implemented in August, included a new Draught Relief that provides a significant duty discount on alcohol sold in containers of 20 litres or more in the on-trade.   As well as this, the Government’s ‘Brexit Pubs Guarantee,’ confirms that the duty on a draught pint will always be lower than its equivalent in a supermarket.

Pubs also benefit from a broader package of business rates support worth £13.6bn over the next five years, including a Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief scheme which increased from 50% to 75% relief in 2023-24.


Written Question
Mortgages: Newport West
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in mortgage interest rates on homeowners in Newport West.

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

The pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, we recognise this is a concerning time for mortgage borrowers.

The Prime Minister has been clear, the best and most important way that we can keep costs and interest rates down for people is to halve inflation, and then return it to the 2% target.

On Friday 23 June the Chancellor met with mortgage lenders, UK Finance and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to discuss how lenders will provide support for those who encounter problems keeping up with their mortgage payments. At this meeting, lenders agreed to a new Mortgage Charter to support borrowers struggling with their mortgage payments that was published on 26 June. The Charter sets out the standards signatory lenders will adopt when helping their customers, including new flexibilities to help customers manage their mortgage payments over a short period.

The Charter is in addition to the significant safeguards already in place for consumers in the mortgage market. Financial Conduct Authority rules require lenders to engage individually with their customers who are struggling or who are worried about their payments in order to provide tailored support. The Government has also taken measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans, protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, and the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS).


Written Question
Development Banks
Tuesday 19th September 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of Multilateral Development Banks’ Capital Adequacy Frameworks.

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

The Government is highly supportive of the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs) Capital Adequacy Frameworks, which is expected to unlock hundreds of billions of dollars of additional financing for developing countries, vital in helping to deliver against the Sustainable Development Goals and climate change objectives. Alongside FCDO ministerial colleagues, the Chancellor has been working closely with G20 counterparts to ensure that MDBs begin to analyse and agree reforms. In July, the Chancellor was pleased to endorse the G20 Roadmap for implementing these reforms, drawing attention to the initial $200bn of additional lending headroom which could be unlocked over the next 10 years from reforms agreed or being considered this year, whilst encouraging further ambitious implementation beyond this. We have seen some excellent progress, but more must be done to achieve the significant potential of this review and the Government will continue to pursue this.


Written Question
Plastics: Taxation
Wednesday 28th June 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to publish the consultation on mass balance and calculating recycled content within the Plastic Packaging Tax before 20 July 2023.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

To signal support for the developing chemical recycling sector, at Tax Administration and Maintenance Day the government announced a consultation on allowing a mass balance approach for calculating recycled content in packaging made from chemically recycled plastic, for the purposes of the Plastic Packaging Tax. The government also confirmed the consultation would be published this year and will provide further information in due course.

The government is committed to developing an approach which supports the commercialisation of the UK chemical recycling sector, whilst maintaining the integrity and supporting the objectives of the Plastic Packaging Tax.


Written Question
Plastics: Taxation
Wednesday 17th May 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to launch a consultation on mass balance and calculating recycled content within the Plastic Packaging Tax.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government announced it will consult on allowing a mass balance approach for calculating the proportion of recycled content in chemically recycled plastics, for the purposes of the Plastic Packaging Tax.

This demonstrates the government’s commitment to developing the tax to ensure it supports the commercialisation of the UK chemical recycling sector, whilst continuing to encourage manufacturers and importers to use more recycled plastic in packaging.

The consultation will be published later this year.


Written Question
Business: Newport West
Wednesday 17th May 2023

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent fiscal steps he has taken to support businesses in Newport West constituency.

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

Businesses in Newport West, as well as those across Wales and the UK, stand to gain significantly from the numerous business support measures announced at Spring Budget.

In particular, full expensing for investment in qualifying plant and machinery investment, until March 2026, amounts to a £27 billion tax cut for companies. Approximately 220,000 Welsh SMEs could also benefit from the government's plans to simplify the tax system. This is on top of the additional £180 million in Welsh Government funding through the Barnett formula, which can be used to support businesses.

The Government is committed to making the UK the best place to do business in the world and Newport West’s businesses stand to benefit from these fiscal steps.