The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Adams on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on competition between different sectors in the gaming industry of different forms of gambling taxation; and if he will make a statement.
Damian Hinds
The Treasury keeps all aspects of tax policy under review, and routinely looks at the impact of gambling tax policy on the industry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects (a) to date and (b) in the future of the institutes of technology on UK productivity.
Greg Hands
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government has spent on raising awareness of scam activity associated with pension freedoms.
Harriett Baldwin
Monitoring the market for pension scams is the responsibility of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Pensions Regulator (TPR). The Government remains in close contact with the regulators, and other organisations such as industry trade bodies, on these issues.
The FCA has launched a new consumer awareness campaign around investment scams, ScamSmart. The Pensions Regulator runs the Scorpion campaign, which includes videos, action packs, leaflets and guidance, helping to raise awareness of the threats posed by scams amongst trustees, business advisers and individuals. These play a crucial role in helping to stop scams by arming consumers with the information they need to protect themselves.
In addition Pension Wise specifically alerts consumers to scams in guidance sessions and through their website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish an equality assessment of the Government’s changes to tax credits.
Damian Hinds
As the Chancellor has made clear, the Government will set out at Autumn Statement how we plan to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits, saving the money we need to save to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.
The Government carefully considers all relevant legal obligations – including the equalities duty – when formulating welfare policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alasdair McDonnell on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he expects revenue to be generated to the public purse from the sale of assets, buildings and land in Northern Ireland during 2015-16; and if so for what amount.
Greg Hands
The devolved administrations have the capacity to generate income from asset sales and should do so where this is a sensible way of realising value for taxpayers and freeing up resources for investment.
The Government has committed to securing good value for money for taxpayers by establishing UK Government Investments to deliver the sale of a wide range of publicly-owned assets.
The Stormont House Agreement contains specific measures whereby the Treasury would allow the Northern Ireland Executive to retain the proceeds of specific agreed asset sales in their entirety, and give exceptional consideration to those funds being used for a combination of both capital and resource spending.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many working households including people under 25 are likely to lose income as a result of changes he has announced to tax credits.
Damian Hinds
The Government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.
The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many households are likely to be negatively affected by the measures announced in the Summer Budget 2015.
Damian Hinds
The Government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.
The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in devolved administrations on the merger of income tax and national insurance.
Mr David Gauke
The Scotland Bill introduces significant new powers for the Scottish Government to set income tax rates and thresholds. As recommended by the Smith Commission, National Insurance remains a UK wide contributory system.
The Government is committed to simplifying the tax system. We have asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to look at alignment of income tax and National Insurance. The terms of reference for the OTS review can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ots-review-of-income-tax-and-national-insurance-tor. The focus is on looking to simplifying the underlying rules in the way the two charges operate which remain a reserved matter.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many people over the age of 55 are likely to be affected by the Government’s changes to tax credits.
Damian Hinds
This information is not available.
This Government is committed to moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society. As the Chancellor has made clear, the Government will set out at Autumn Statement how we plan to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits, saving the money we need to save to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend free use of the (a) Mersey Gateway and (b) Silver Jubilee Bridge to residents and UK firms across Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.
Greg Hands
As announced at the Summer Budget, we have asked the Department for Transport to look at extending the Mersey Gateway local discount scheme to residents of Chester West & Chester and Warrington, as well as looking at help for small businesses. This work is ongoing.