Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will create a community wealth fund dedicated to improving outcomes for the most deprived neighbourhoods over the long term into which all new assets listed under the proposed expanded dormant assets scheme must be paid.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As you may be aware, the Government recently launched a consultation on expanding the dormant assets scheme beyond bank and building society accounts to include a wider range of financial assets. That consultation set out the way that money from dormant assets is distributed, in line with the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008.
The Act specifies that funds in England must be used for causes related to youth, financial capability and inclusion, or social investment. The scheme’s focus on creating impact in these three areas was agreed through a public consultation at its inception. It enables the scheme to create a lasting legacy, driving systemic change to address entrenched social issues and protects this impact from being diluted.
The scheme is based on voluntary industry participation and enjoys widespread support from the banks and building societies who continue to contribute to it. The Government currently has no plans to change how the distribution of dormant assets funding functions. This includes the causes to which the funds are directed.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on allocating parliamentary time for legislative proposals on dormant assets.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As you may be aware, the Government recently launched a consultation on expanding the dormant assets scheme beyond bank and building society accounts to include a wider range of financial assets. The Government is committed to this expansion, unlocking substantial sums of unclaimed assets for good causes while maintaining and improving consumer protection.
It is right and proper that the feedback from this consultation shapes any future dormant assets legislation. The Government will engage with the Leader of the House on the introduction of this legislation when appropriate.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a tax on waste incineration.
Answered by Jesse Norman
At Budget 2018, the Government announced that a tax on the incineration of waste would not be taken forward at that point. All taxes remain under review.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the soft drinks industry levy has been spent on since that levy was introduced.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The 2016 Budget announced funding for a number of programmes linked to the revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. The funding has been allocated to a number of programmes to support pupil health and wellbeing which include:
Doubling funding for the primary physical education and Sport Premium to £320 million a year from 2017.
Providing £100 million in 2018/19 for the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to extend financial levies on sugar in food and drink to more food and drink categories.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There are no current plans to extend the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to other food or drink categories. As set out in Phase 2 of the Childhood Obesity Strategy, HMT will review the Soft Drinks Industry Levy exemption for milk-based drinks in 2020.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings Ministers of his department have had with representatives of (a) the alcohol industry and (b) organisations working to reduce alcohol-related harm in 2018; and if he will publish the (i) dates, (ii) attendees and (iii) topics of each of those meetings.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Details of all ministerial meetings are routinely published on the Gov.UK website, details can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders to discuss alcohol duty and related issues, including the health impacts of alcohol.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will use underspending on tax-free childcare to fund out-of-school activities and holiday engagement programmes in disadvantaged areas.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
This Government is committed to supporting families and we will be spending around £6 billion every year by 2020 on childcare support – more than ever before.
A marketing campaign was launched in September to increase awareness and take-up of Tax-Free Childcare. Parents can use their Tax-Free Childcare account to pay for childcare at any Ofsted registered provider, including out of school activities and holiday clubs.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish his Department's research on the effect of his policies on tax-free childcare on the labour market.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Updated Information on the impacts of Tax-Free Childcare on the labour and childcare markets will be published in due course.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of any potential link between the introduction of tax-free childcare and the (a) cost and (b) demand for childcare by providers.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Updated Information on the impacts of Tax-Free Childcare on the labour and childcare markets will be published in due course.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the expected time taken will be for people to register for tax free childcare as a result of being required to send their children's birth certificate to HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Registering for Tax-Free Childcare will be straightforward for parents. Using a simple online system, parents will be asked to identify themselves and the child for whom the childcare account is being opened. In most cases, this information will be processed and checked automatically.
In a minority of cases, HMRC may need to check the child’s birth certificate. This process will be as efficient as possible to minimise any delay in the parent opening a childcare account.