Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to seek formal agreement to participate in the European Securities and Markets Authority after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The future of our relationship with the European Supervisory Authorities is subject to the outcome of the withdrawal negotiations. The UK and the EU will start from the unique position of regulatory alignment. We will look to create a new framework that allows for continued trust in one another’s institutions and a close partnership.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of not being able to access European Investment Bank funds on infrastructure investment after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The European Investment Bank (EIB), and its offshoot, the European Investment Fund (EIF), have lent significant amounts to UK infrastructure and growth businesses.
It may prove to be in the mutual interest of the UK and the EU to maintain an ongoing relationship between the EIB and UK after the UK has left the EU. The government is looking to explore these options with the EU as part of the negotiations.
Whatever the outcome of the negotiations, it is important that UK businesses have access to the finance they need. As the Chancellor set out in his 2017 Mansion House speech, the government will be prepared in case the UK does not maintain a relationship with the Bank.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing Barnett formula funding for Wales in line with the recent increase in funding for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Barnett Formula determines changes to each devolved administration’s funding with reference to changes in DEL funding for UK government departments. There was no change in DEL funding for UK government departments as a result of the financial support announced for Northern Ireland in June 2017.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to make additional funding available to HM Revenue and Customs to resolve tax credit claims.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Currently no plans have been made to provide additional funding to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to resolve tax credit claims. HMRC has instead shifted internal resource in order to address the issue.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what arrangements his Department has put in place to ensure that financial recompense and support is provided for tax credit claimants erroneously investigated by Concentrix.
Answered by Jane Ellison
If anyone feels their tax credits have been incorrectly withdrawn owing to errors by Concentrix, they should urgently contact HM Revenue and Customs, which will review all complaint cases and will pay redress where appropriate.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on what proportion of tax credit claimants erroneously investigated by Concentrix were women.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold information on the proportion of tax credits enquiries made by Concentrix where the claimant was a women. Nevertheless, HMRC undertook all necessary impact assessments to ensure protected groups were not disproportionately affected. As at April 2016, 88% of single claims were made by women and 88% of the single claims sent to Concentrix to check for High Risk Renewals 16 were women.
The Concentrix workload is delegated by HMRC. The process for selecting claims for Concentrix compliance interventions is set out in sections A9 and A10 of the “specifications of requirement” annex of the Concentrix contract which can be found at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7
Concentrix were most recently undertaking High Risk Renewals enquiries under section 18 of the Tax Credits Act 2002, under which the claimant needs to provide a declaration to show that they are entitled to receive tax credits. In these cases, the tax credits legislation places the onus on a claimant for ensuring that HMRC has the relevant information.
HMRC uses a wide range of data including third party data as part of a wider strategy to tackle tax credits error and fraud. HMRC has successfully reduced tax credits error and fraud from 8.1% in 2010-11 to 4.8% in 2014-15
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the evidential basis is for HM Revenue and Customs communications to Concentrix that another adult may be living at the house of a tax claimant; and in what form such information is being conveyed to Concentrix.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold information on the proportion of tax credits enquiries made by Concentrix where the claimant was a women. Nevertheless, HMRC undertook all necessary impact assessments to ensure protected groups were not disproportionately affected. As at April 2016, 88% of single claims were made by women and 88% of the single claims sent to Concentrix to check for High Risk Renewals 16 were women.
The Concentrix workload is delegated by HMRC. The process for selecting claims for Concentrix compliance interventions is set out in sections A9 and A10 of the “specifications of requirement” annex of the Concentrix contract which can be found at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7
Concentrix were most recently undertaking High Risk Renewals enquiries under section 18 of the Tax Credits Act 2002, under which the claimant needs to provide a declaration to show that they are entitled to receive tax credits. In these cases, the tax credits legislation places the onus on a claimant for ensuring that HMRC has the relevant information.
HMRC uses a wide range of data including third party data as part of a wider strategy to tackle tax credits error and fraud. HMRC has successfully reduced tax credits error and fraud from 8.1% in 2010-11 to 4.8% in 2014-15
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the level of procurement of British steel by his Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The Department does not directly procure steel in the undertaking of its operations.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the National Infrastructure Commission is to be established as an executive agency rather than as a non-departmental public body.
Answered by David Gauke
The government considers that the National Infrastructure Commission will have the right tools to deliver its objectives and operate effectively as an executive agency.
It will continue to provide robust, impartial analysis and advice on the country’s most complex and pressing infrastructure challenges. Setting up the NIC as an executive agency will mean that the Commission can be up and running in permanent form as soon as January 2017.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the illegal dumping of steel by China will form part of the discussions at the UK-China economic and financial dialogue meeting in November 2016.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The Chancellor, alongside other Government Ministers, will discuss a range of issues during the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue in November 2016.
The steel industry is currently dealing with very challenging global economic conditions, and the Government has been working hard to address the sector’s concerns. This includes successfully pressing the European Commission for higher import duties on several types of steel. The UK also worked with international partners to secure agreement at the G20 Leader’s Summit in China in September 2016 to create a Global Forum on excess steel capacity. Domestically, the Government is compensating firms for energy costs, ensuring social and economic factors are taken into account when procuring steel, and has set up the Steel Council to look at the long term future of the sector.