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  • Rushanara Ali – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rushanara Ali – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to IR35 tax regulations on (a) self-employed people and (b) people who own small businesses.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government is considering responses to the discussion document published in July on how to improve the effectiveness of the existing intermediaries legislation (IR35). As set out in the discussion document, the Government’s objective is to find a solution that protects the Exchequer and improves fairness in the system without creating disproportionate burdens on business.

  • Stewart Jackson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stewart Jackson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the National Living Wage on wage growth in (a) Peterborough and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    The new National Living Wage is an essential part of moving to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society; it ensures that work pays, and reduces reliance on the State topping up wages through the benefits system. The Government’s target is for the National Living Wage to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, and we have asked the Low Pay Commission to recommend the National Living Wage going forward.

    The Office for Budget Responsibility published its latest analysis of the impact on 25 November, here: http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/economic-fiscal-outlook-november-2015/

    The Government will be publishing an impact assessment for the National Living Wage in due course.

    “

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the change in expenditure has been on working tax credits between 2013 and 2015.

    Damian Hinds

    The information requested is available from the HM Revenue and Customs Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15 (Note 6.1 – page 153). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015

    “

  • Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to recover money owed by people who benefited from the employee benefit trust scheme used by Glasgow Rangers Football Club.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs has a statutory duty to maintain taxpayer confidentiality and cannot comment on the affairs of individual taxpayers.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to raise awareness of financial scams targeting older people.

    Mike Penning

    The Government takes all types of fraud and financial scams extremely seriously. The Serious and Organised Crime Strategy, published in 2013, places a strong focus on protecting those most at risk. The Home Office has recently completed a research project in order to better understand who in the UK is at risk from fraud and cyber threats, what makes them vulnerable and how to most effectively reach them. This will enable the Home Office and partners to develop ways to better protect the public, for example providing targeted fraud prevention advice.

    The Home Office also works with the City of London Police, which is the national lead force for fraud, to help all police forces to understand better who is vulnerable to fraud in their areas, and to work with local partners including the voluntary sector to help protect those vulnerable people from the threat from fraud.

    Action Fraud is the central reporting point for fraud and is operated by the City of London Police. It assesses the vulnerability of victims based on the financial and health impact of the reported fraud, and provides this information to forces. This enables police forces to make targeted interventions with those most at risk. When a serious threat or a new type of fraud is identified, Action Fraud places an alert on its website with advice for individuals to protect themselves from becoming victims. Members of the public can sign up to receive these alerts by email.

    The Home Office is also working closely with Financial Fraud Action UK and the British Bankers Association who have issued specific advice to consumers on telephone scams. This includes helping consumers know when they may be a target to these fraudsters, and advice on what information should never be shared, e.g. PIN number. In December last year Financial Fraud Action UK and the police announced a joint declaration to help consumers avoid becoming victims of financial fraud.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fuel laundering plants were discovered in Northern Ireland in 2014; and how many of those plants were (a) fully operational at the time of discovery and (b) within ten miles of the border of the Republic of Ireland.

    Damian Hinds

    31 fuel laundering plants were discovered in Northern Ireland in 2014. All 31 were considered to be operational at the time of discovery.

    Area specific information cannot be supplied as it is likely to be used by those minded to undermine HMRC’s strategy in dealing with fuel fraud and as such have a detrimental impact

    on its ability to assess and collect tax.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph DISP 2.8.4 of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook, if he will direct the FCA to amend its policy on the application of the six year rule in exceptional circumstances to enable the Financial Ombudsman to consider cases in which important evidence emerges after that six year period.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are independent from Government.

    The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of public appointments filled by women.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments and​ has aspiration that 50% of new public appointees should be women. We are making ​good ​progress, with 44% of new appointments made to women in 2014-2015 and a higher proportion of all public appointments (new appointments and reappointments) went to women last year than at any other point since records began.

    The Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office supports departments on all issues relating to the diversity of public appointments. Steps we are taking to increase diversity include streamlining the application process​, placing an emphasis on ability over previous experience,​ and increasing awareness of opportunities by using a central website, social media and engaging with ​different ​diversity networks​ and groups.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish information on the socio-economic status of appointees to the Senior Civil Service in 2015.

    Matthew Hancock

    To govern modern Britain, the Civil Service needs to look and sound likemodern Britain. We need access to the broadest possible pool of talent, drawing on people from all backgrounds and all parts of the country.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2015 to Question 10866, when he will next publish the job titles and pay grades of appointments to extended ministerial offices.

    Matthew Hancock

    The government publishes information on the job titles and pay grades of senior civil servants along with the numbers of staff they manage on a twice yearly basis.