Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Seema Malhotra Excerpts
Wednesday 15th July 2015

(9 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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I certainly think I know better than the Liberal Democrats, who have been complicit in covering Scotland with wind farm developments. It is clear that ours is a popular policy among communities right across Scotland who do not want to see our landscape covered with unnecessary wind farm developments. I stand behind our policy.

Seema Malhotra Portrait Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)
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4. What recent discussions he has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on progress on implementing the Scottish rate of income tax.

David Mundell Portrait The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)
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The UK and Scottish Governments continue to work closely with each other on the implementation of the Scottish rate of income tax. The question now is how the Scottish Government will use the new power when it comes into effect in April 2016.

Seema Malhotra Portrait Seema Malhotra
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Transferring control of income tax to Scotland requires Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to identify who Scottish taxpayers are, but over the last year we have seen an increase in the risk rating by HMRC in terms of its ability to identify those taxpayers. Has that risk increased or decreased recently?

David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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I can tell the House that the UK Government and the Scottish Government work closely together on this issue. Despite the bluster that we often see here, the reality is that the UK and Scottish Governments are working closely on many important issues for the people of Scotland. I am absolutely confident that the Scottish rate of income tax will be capable of being introduced next April. HMRC has done the necessary work; what we need now is to hear from the SNP what it intends to do with those tax powers.