Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what analysis he has undertaken on the reasons for variations in regional productivity; and what steps he is taking to reduce those variations.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
Office for National Statistics data indicates that both London and the South East had productivity levels above the UK average in 2023 (the most up-to-date available data). All other regions had productivity levels lower than the UK average, with the lowest levels in Wales (15.1% lower than average) and West Midlands (14.8% lower than average).
Differences in productivity reflects a number of factors, including differences in historical infrastructure and capital investment and the sectoral composition of a region's economy.
The Government is committed to supporting regional growth: fundamentally rewiring the way our country works, transferring greater powers, funding and accountability to the local leaders who know what it takes to drive growth in their areas. In support of this, the government is investing in the infrastructure needed to support our city regions and growth corridors to grow, including an up to Ā£45bn commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail. The Government is maintaining momentum on our broader Northern and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Strategies, including a new Ā£150m scale-up fund aimed at the fastest growing businesses in the North of England, delivered by the British Business Bank.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to support homeowners who are unable to switch to a cheaper mortgage deal.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The Government understands that being unable to switch your mortgage can be extremely stressful. Alongside the Financial Conduct Authority and industry, we have shown we are willing to act through the introduction of a āmodified affordability assessmentā, which removes the regulatory barriers that prevented some customers, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. We are also regularly in contact with key stakeholders, including recently with the UK Mortgage Prisoners campaign group.
The Government remains committed to this issue and will continue to work with industry and wider stakeholders to determine if there are proposals that will meaningly benefit affected borrowers and be fair to other borrowers in the wider market.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department (a) paid in apprenticeship levy fees and (b) spent from its apprenticeship levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)
The most recent Civil Service Apprenticeship Strategy (published in April 2022) stated that part of monitoring and measuring the success would include value for money from the apprenticeship levy. The aim is that the Civil Service āwill use at least 65% of its annual levy contribution in one year, further increasing each year, in order to achieve a return on investment.ā
The spend against levy contribution across the period requested is above the target.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 8 March 2023 to Question 157639 on Mortgages, whether he plans to publish a response to the report entitled Releasing the Mortgage Prisoners, published on 1 March 2023.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The Government understands that being unable to switch your mortgage can be extremely stressful and, alongside the Financial Conduct Authority and industry, have shown we are willing to act, such as through the introduction of a āmodified affordability assessmentā.
The Government remains committed to this issue, and we are considering the proposals put forward in this report very carefully. While we cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers they consider too high a risk, we welcome views on any further practical and proportionate solutions that would meaningfully assist affected borrowers and be fair to other borrowers in the wider market. We are also regularly in contact with key stakeholders, including recently with the UK Mortgage Prisoners campaign group, to discuss potential solutions.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) schemes and (b) grants their Department administers that are open for (i) individuals, (ii) organisations and (iii) other groups in Feltham and Heston constituency to apply for as of 10 January 2024.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)
HM Treasury does not run schemes or grant programmes open to application by members of the public, organisations or other groups in the normal course of business, as these are managed by other departments across Government. As such, the department does not currently have any active schemes or grant programmes of this nature.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was raised by the apprenticeships levy in the 2022/2023 academic year.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Monthly receipts data for the Apprenticeship Levy is published by HM Revenue and Customs in their Tax and NIC Receipts publication which can be found online at:
HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many renewal applications for specific licences that are being processed by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation were submitted more than six months ago.
Answered by John Glen
Details of both general and specific licences issued by OFSI are set out in OFSIās Annual Review, published each autumn.
Please see 2022 Annual Review.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) new and (b) renewal applications for (i) general and (ii) specific Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation licences have not been processed by that Office.
Answered by John Glen
Details of both general and specific licences issued by OFSI are set out in OFSIās Annual Review, published each autumn.
Please see 2022 Annual Review.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of HMRC workforce resources.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
We review HMRC's workforce requirements as part of regular performance and financial monitoring.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to conclusion 3 of the Forty-ninth report of the Committee of Public Accounts entitled Managing tax compliance following the pandemic, published on 3 May 2023, HC 739, if he will make it his policy to set a target for the compliance yield required to make up for any shortfall during the pandemic.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is considering the Committeeās recommendations and will respond in a Treasury Minute in due course.