The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 1.143 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, if he will publish an impact assessment on his policy to lower motor insurance costs.
Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Justice will launch a public consultation in the New Year on the details of the policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce compensation for couples who both work in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in Dundee in the event that they are transferred to a HMRC regional office in another location.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.
HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the reasons are for the reduction in Grade 6 and 7 employees of HM Revenue and Customs in Dundee in the last decade.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.
HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs offices in Dundee are closing before those in the rest of the UK.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.
HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the 26 new Enterprise Zones are which were announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.
Greg Hands
The full list of successful Enterprise Zones, which is available to view online at the link below, was published by DCLG following the Spending Review announcement:
www.gov.uk/government/news/the-new-enterprise-zones
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of HM Revenue and Customs staff are employed to collect tax on small and medium-sized enterprises.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) allocates resources in a flexible manner to ensure that it meets individual business needs.
Information on the structure and organisation of HMRC is available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s policy is on the appropriate percentage rate of return on investment for (a) schools and community groups investing in on-site solar power and (b) foreign state owned companies investing in new nuclear power in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Greg Hands
We want to attract cost-effective investment in infrastructure. Investors rightly expect a market rate of return and value for money is achieved through competition and careful negotiation. Individual project rates of return will differ to reflect, among other things, the risk profiles involved.
The Feed-in-Tariff scheme, for which schools and community groups are eligible to apply, aims to offer rates of return for solar installations between 4% and 8%. Returns for each installation will vary according to their individual costs and the amount of electricity generated and used on site. The Government’s recently closed consultation on the scheme includes a review to ensure that tariffs are within this range, given the fall in costs of solar panels in recent years. It will detail its response to the consultation shortly.
We are unable to disclose the anticipated rate of return for new nuclear transactions as these are commercially sensitive.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2015, whether the £30 million allocated to the City regions take the form of a cash grant from HM Treasury.
Greg Hands
Investment fund allocations agreed as part of devolution deals will be paid out annually by the Department for Communities and Local Government as a cash grant, via Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of his plans for HM Revenue and Customs offices in Liverpool on jobs and services in that area; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025. HMRC intends to have extensive discussions with all our staff to keep them fully informed of their options as the programme continues.
HMRC views Liverpool as a key site for customer service activity. The Department will be making a long term investment in the City and is planning to open a Regional Centre there from 2018/19 employing between 2,800 and 3,100 employees.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the conclusion of its thematic review of the annuities market as to whether consumers are being treated fairly in the current financial climate.
Damian Hinds
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) places a duty on the firms that they regulate to treat their customers fairly, and the FCA have wide-ranging powers of enforcement in pursuit of this objective.
The FCA’s Retirement Income Market Study, which followed on from the work of the Thematic Review of Annuities and was published in March 2015, recommended greater use of annuity comparisons to encourage greater shopping around by consumers. The FCA are currently conducting behavioural tests on options for presenting these comparisons in the most effective way, and expect to report on these findings and any proposed rule changes in 2016. In addition, the FCA’s Retirement Outcomes Review, which will be published early next year, will assess issues from the Thematic Review – including the issue of eligible consumers not purchasing enhanced annuity products.
The FCA also plan to consider consumers’ wider information needs in light of market developments following the pension freedoms.