Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount of benefit and tax credit debt (a) repaid and (b) written-off was in each financial year from 2003-04 to 2015-16 in each region and constituent part of the UK.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The information is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The overall amounts for benefit repaid, written off and owed at the end of the financial year can be found in DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts. The following link provides information for the latest financial year 2015 -2016: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/534934/print-ready-dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2015-2016.pdf
The overall amounts of tax credit debt, repayments, remissions and write-offs are published in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts. The 2015-16 report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537876/HMRC_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2015-16-_print_.pdf
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount of benefit and tax credit debt owed was at the end of each financial year from 2003-04 to 2015-16 in each region and constituent part of the UK.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The information is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The overall amounts for benefit repaid, written off and owed at the end of the financial year can be found in DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts. The following link provides information for the latest financial year 2015 -2016: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/534934/print-ready-dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2015-2016.pdf
The overall amounts of tax credit debt, repayments, remissions and write-offs are published in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts. The 2015-16 report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537876/HMRC_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2015-16-_print_.pdf
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to publish an updated impact assessment of tax-free childcare to include the changes to eligibility criteria for such childcare announced in the Autumn Statement 2016.
Answered by David Gauke
The government is updating the impact assessment for Tax-Free Childcare. This will reflect changes made since the scheme was first announced, including changes to the eligibility criteria made at Autumn Statement 2015. It will be published before the scheme launches early this year.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on the roll-out of tax-free childcare; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Gauke
Tax-Free Childcare will be launched early this year. It will be rolled out gradually to parents in a managed and careful way to ensure the introduction of this new scheme is as smooth as possible for parents. All eligible parents will be able to access the scheme by the end of 2017.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to assist women born in the 1950s who are affected by changes in state pension age equalisation.
Answered by Jane Ellison
This issue was debated during the passage of the Pensions Act 2011 and the Government made concessions worth £1.1bn.
As a result, no women will experience increases of more than 18 months. In fact, for 81% of all the women affected by the changes, the increase to their State Pension age will not exceed 12 months.
The Government has no plans to introduce further transitional arrangements.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many high-cost, short-term credit firms have (a) been fully authorised and (b) had their authorisation denied by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Answered by Simon Kirby
This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to directly to the Honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people employed in the UK by the high-cost, short-term credit sector.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The information requested is not centrally held.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the change in the (a) volume and (b) value of high-cost, short-term loans has been since January 2015.
Answered by Simon Kirby
This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to directly to the Honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many high-cost, short-term credit firms are operating with interim permissions.
Answered by Simon Kirby
This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to directly to the Honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons his Department reduced the debt servicing to income ratio used as an indicator of household vulnerability and indebtedness from 30 per cent to 25 per cent.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
In 2010 a report for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills used a debt servicing to income ratio of 25%. In subsequent annual reports up until 2013 a debt servicing to income ratio of 30% was used. It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the hon. Member.