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  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fines of what total value have been imposed by HM Revenue and Customs on employers in Northern Ireland in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2014 to date.

    Mr David Gauke

    This question has been taken as asking about fines related to non-payment of the NMW.

    The Government takes the enforcement of NMW very seriously and HMRC enforce the national minimum wage legislation on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It does that by investigating all complaints made about employers suspected of not paying the minimum wage, in addition to carrying out targeted enforcement where it identifies a high risk of non-payment of NMW across the whole of the UK.

    Prior to 6 April 2009, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issued penalty notices to those employers who failed to comply, within 28 days, with an enforcement notice. A new enforcement regime, introduced in April 2009, saw the introduction of automatic penalties for employers who are found to have underpaid their workers.

    The number and value of penalties issued to Northern Ireland employers for the calendar years 2010-14 is set out in the following table:

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    Number

    63

    43

    30

    20

    Value

    £33,635

    £49,135

    £41,110

    £40,724
  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to tackle cases of employees in Northern Ireland being paid below the minimum wage.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously and HMRC enforce the NMW legislation on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It does that by investigating all complaints made about employers suspected of not paying the minimum wage, in addition carrying out targeted enforcement where it identifies a high risk of non-payment of NMW across the whole of the UK.

    HMRC has an NMW enforcement team based in Belfast, and that team investigates all complaints received by the Pay & Work Rights Helpline relating to Northern Ireland based employers alongside employers who are based and trading in the wider UK. The NMW Belfast team works closely with other Northern Ireland enforcement agencies including the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, Home Office Immigration & Enforcement and Department of Employment and Learning.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of men and women who make use of the non-earnings pension contribution limit; and if he will assess the potential effects of increasing that limit on couples saving together for retirement.

    Mr David Gauke

    As shown in HMRC’s published statistics (Table PEN3 available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/259967/pen3.pdf), in 2011-12 around 20,000 unemployed adults made or received contributions into their personal pensions. 6,000 of these individuals made use of the non-earnings pension contribution limit of £3,600 including basic rate tax relief.

    A further 10,000 children, 10,000 individuals in full time education and 10,000 carers made or received contributions into their personal pensions. Of these, around a quarter made use of the non-earnings pension contribution limit.

    Of the individuals mentioned above who made use of the non-earnings pension contribution limit in 2011-12, around two thirds were female.

    The Government has made no assessment of the effects of increasing the limit on couples saving together for retirement but keeps all tax policies under review.

  • Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2014-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to improve support for small and medium-sized enterprises which are in need of short-term assistance and flexibility through improved partnership working between the HM Revenue and Custom’s (HMRC) simplified import VAT accounting duty deferment team and the HMRC debt management and time-to-pay teams; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Simplified Import VAT Accounting (SIVA) scheme is a trade facilitation measure that reduces compliance costs for legitimate traders through the removal of the requirement to provide a guarantee to secure import VAT paid through the duty deferment scheme.

    The risk to the tax revenue by traders operating SIVA is potentially very large as the period between the tax due being deferred and being collected by HMRC may result in a failure to pay. The setting of the SIVA approval criteria has to strike a balance between ensuring the trade receive the maximum benefit from the scheme, while at the same time protecting the revenue.

    Businesses have to demonstrate on-going compliance with the SIVA requirements. The SIVA team monitor this through internal systems, including any outstanding debts or Time-to Pay agreements requested. When they identify a business experiencing difficulties, they advise them of the potential impact on their SIVA approval. Warning letters are issued by the team to businesses who fail to comply and only if there is evidence of continued non-compliance is the approval removed.

    The current procedures provide an appropriate balance between trade faciliation and protection of the revenue.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2014-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of allowances being paid to senior bank executives to enable them to avoid the EU bonus cap.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle excessive pay in the financial sector and ensure that pay is aligned with performance; our tough Remuneration Code requires deferral of at least 60% of bonuses of senior bankers and limits the amounts that can be paid in cash. Bonuses are down significantly since their peak under the last Government, and are now largely deferred and paid in shares.

    In contrast, the EU’s bonus cap is a poorly thought through measure that undermines rather than reinforces our efforts by pushing up fixed pay. It was introduced without any proper impact assessment and has serious issues around its compatibility with the EU Treaty, and for these reasons we are challenging it in the European Court of Justice. However, pending the outcome, the Government is fully implementing the cap in the UK.

    The Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority have responsibility for ensuring that remuneration practices in the banking sector are compliant with the new rules.

  • Nick Raynsford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nick Raynsford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Raynsford on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to publish the findings of the research he commissioned from the University of Sheffield into the New Homes Bonus.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Department is undertaking a wider evaluation of the New Homes Bonus; its findings will be published in due course.

  • David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many libraries in Greater London have (a) closed and (b) reduced opening hours since May 2010.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The detail requested is not held centrally by this Department, however the Annual Report to Parliament published in January this year indicated our estimate of static library closures in England since the beginning of 2010, is around 90. While the number of public libraries has reduced there has been a notable growth in the number of libraries managed or run by the community. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) collect, annually, from the individual library authorities, public library statistics which contain information relating to the net figure of public libraries open in each year, as well as the number and type of libraries and the average hours of opening per week. This shows the number of library service points open 10+ hours per week in England (incl. mobiles) at 31 March 2013 was 3,181. However, CIPFA do not collect data on the number of library closures or those that have reduced their opening hours. Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the libraries of both Houses.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities publish magazines or newsletters more than four times a year.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Wednesday 30 April 2014]

    I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 21 November 2013, Official Report, Column 980-981W and my answer to him of 16 December 2013, Official Report, Column 443-444W.

    I also refer him to the Written Ministerial Statement by my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Eric Pickles) of 28 April 2014, Official Report, Column 35WS, which outlines the rationale for the steps taken on 17 April, and how we are prepared to take further action against other breaches of the Publicity Code.

  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the spending power is for (a) Wokingham Council and (b) Newcastle upon Tyne City Council in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Thursday 1 May 2014]

    Spending power figures by local authority are published as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, which is laid before the House each year. This information is also reasonably accessible to the hon. Member on my Department’s website at:

    www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2014-to-2015 (2014-15 and provisional 2015-16)

    www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/settle.htm (2013-14)

    “

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help local shops in (a) England and (b) Lancashire with the cost of business rates.

    Brandon Lewis

    At the Autumn Statement we announced a £1 billion package of business rates support to help shops and local firms. This included a £1,000 discount for two years for smaller shops, pubs and restaurants. Based on local authority reports of the amount of relief awarded, we estimate that 272,300 properties will benefit in England, including 7,740 in Lancashire.

    The support package also included a 50 per cent discount for businesses taking on long-term empty shops, the doubling of small business rate relief for another year, a 2% cap on RPI increases for 2014-2015, allowing businesses to spread their business rates payments over 12 months, and allowing ratepayers that take on a second property to keep their small business rate relief for an extra year.

    The Localism Act has also made it easier for small firms to claim small business rate relief.