Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What plans she has for the future of the TV licence.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The BBC's funding model faces major challenges to its sustainability due to changes in the way people consume media.
We remain committed to reviewing the licence fee model ahead of the next Charter period to explore the potential for alternative ways to ensure the BBC remains appropriately funded over the long-term.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support growth in the creative industries.
Answered by Julia Lopez
The creative industries are an economic powerhouse, and one of my priorities is to continue this growth.
My Department will publish a Creative Industries Sector Vision in the coming months, which will set out how we will work together with industry to drive the sector’s growth between now and 2030.
My Department is investing £50 million into creative businesses up and down the country to help them grow, in addition to more than £100m from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent migrants from illegally crossing the English Channel.
Answered by Suella Braverman
Small boats crossings perpetuated by evil people-smuggling gangs are illegal, life-threatening, and unnecessary.
New legislation will make it crystal clear that if you enter this country illegally you will not be allowed to stay and will instead be detained and promptly removed.
I am clear that the British public want us to stop the boats, and I call on Honourable Members opposite to back our proposals, instead of siding with criminal people smuggling gangs.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of a potential link between (a) the rebate in the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access and (b) the accompanying Statutory Scheme on the level of foreign direct investment into UK R&D.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government is working to better understand the impacts the operation of the current Voluntary Scheme and the accompanying Statutory Scheme on investments in the UK. We are therefore in direct conversations with companies to understand these impacts. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is in close discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department responsible for the Voluntary Scheme and Statutory Scheme, about the business environment for life sciences and its impact on investment.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has received evidence from the life sciences industry of the impact on UK R&D investment and potential increases in payment rates under the voluntary and statutory schemes for branded medicines; and if it will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department has been consulting on a proposed update to the statutory scheme for branded medicines and the life sciences industry has been able to give evidence as part of this consultation process.
The Government remains firmly committed to the statutory and voluntary schemes for branded medicines and to working with the pharmaceutical industry to deliver on the ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Vision to create an environment that facilitates innovation for the development of medicines in the UK.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research into intra-nasal covid-19 vaccines.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department of Health and Social Care commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) which, with UK Research and Innovation, has co-funded an Imperial College London study worth £580,000 looking specifically at the safety and effectiveness of two COVID-19 vaccines administered via the respiratory tract.
The study is ongoing but in later stages and results will be made public in due course and following peer review.
The NIHR is also providing infrastructure support to an Oxford University study looking at safety and effectiveness of intranasal administration of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of differing VAT rates for public and domestic charging of electric vehicles with the principle of VAT neutrality.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
In order to keep costs down for families, the supply of electricity for domestic use attracts the reduced rate of VAT (five per cent).
Electricity supplied at EV charging points in public places is subject to the standard rate of VAT (twenty per cent). The Government has not specifically introduced a reduced rate for charging EVs at home. However, the practical challenges of differentiating between the electricity used at home for general domestic purposes, and electricity used to charge EVs currently mean that the reduced rate is effectively being applied to EV home-charging.
Applying the reduced rate of VAT to electricity supplied at EV charging points in public places would come at a cost. VAT makes a significant contribution towards the public finances, raising around £130 billion in 2019/20, and helps fund the Government's priorities including the NHS, schools, and defence. Any loss in tax revenue would have to be balanced by a reduction in public spending, increased borrowing or increased taxation elsewhere.
The Government has no current plans to review the current rate of VAT applied to EV charging.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Value Added Tax Act 1994 Schedule 7A, Group 1, Paragraph 5, on what basis some electric vehicle charging is taxed at a rate of 20 per cent VAT.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The domestic use of fuel (including electricity that may be used to recharge vehicles) is subject to the reduced rate of VAT of 5%. As set out in Paragraph 5 of Schedule 1, where a supply to a person at their premises does not exceed 1000 kilowatt hours per month, this is deemed to be domestic use.
However, for this provision to apply, the supply of electricity must be to a customer’s house or building. Where this is not the case (such as where a vehicle is recharged at a public charge point), the electricity is standard rated.
Further clarification can be found in HM Revenue and Customs Brief 7 (2021): VAT liability of charging of electric vehicles.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what financial provision he has made to support the health needs of those affected by Sodium Valproate.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Those affected by sodium valproate may be in receipt of Continuing Healthcare where individuals with long-term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the National Health Service. Personal Health Budgets are also available to support health and wellbeing needs, which is planned and agreed between the individual or their representative and the local clinical commissioning group.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of when his Department will receive the report and recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee on a national lung screening programme.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) plans to open a three-month public consultation on the evidence for lung cancer screening in the coming weeks.
The Department will receive the UK NSC’s recommendation on lung cancer screening in individuals at an increased risk following its June meeting.