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  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of the likely effects of the Government’s proposed Deregulation Bill on jobs in tourism.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    At present, local authorities are required to set term and holiday dates for only about 30% of secondary schools and 70% of primary schools (around half of all registered pupils). The Deregulation Bill gives more schools the flexibility to make changes should they wish to, although the experience of the academies programme, foundation schools and voluntary aided (church) schools, suggests that only a small percentage of schools are likely to vary their term dates where there is a compelling benefit to pupils’ education.

    The Department for Education has assessed the impact of the changes. Whilst there will be greater flexibility for schools, we will continue to expect that sensible conversations between the local authority and schools on coordination will take place. Local authorities have told the Department for Education that they will continue to coordinate term dates for schools as they do now. Variations to term dates could also help businesses and employers, for example, in areas of high-seasonal employment where employees may welcome the chance to holiday outside of peak tourist periods. For example, Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell, has a two-week half term in May/June to accommodate parents’ seasonal employment patterns.

    A separate assessment of the specific impact on tourism-related jobs has not been carried out. The Department for Education has discussed the changes to this policy with a variety of tourism industry bodies – including ABTA and BALPPA.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the next dataset of bank lending by postcode from the major UK banks will be released; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    In July 2013 the Government announced that it had reached an agreement with the major UK banks to publish lending data across 10,000 individual postcodes.

    The first dataset was published in December 2013 and shows the outstanding stock of lending that has been committed to customers across three categories; loans and overdrafts to SMEs, mortgages and unsecured personal loans (excluding credit cards).

    The data is published quarterly, and the next publication is expected in July 2014.

  • Michael Meacher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Michael Meacher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Meacher on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what capacity he and the Secretary of State for International Development attended the recent Bilderberg Conference in Copenhagen; and whether the visits have been recorded in the register of interests.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the Bilderberg conference in Copenhagen. All travel undertaken by Treasury ministers is carried out in line with the Ministerial and Civil Service Management Codes. Details of all ministerial overseas travel are published quarterly:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

    “

  • Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints have been made about HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years; and how many such complaints related to mistakes in calculated tax liability.

    Mr David Gauke

    The table below shows the number of complaints received by HM Revenue and Customs (excluding the VOA) for each of the years 2009/10 – 2013/14. The figure for 2013/14 will be published in the HMRC Annual Report later this month.

    Year

    Number of complaints

    2009/10

    71406

    2010/11

    76721

    2011/12

    74831

    2012/13

    67956

    2013/14

    64729

    HMRC’s complaints database does not currently distinguish between complaints about mistakes in calculated tax liability from mistakes in other functions. HMRC is developing a robust process for learning from customer’s complaints which aims to reduce or eliminate mistakes made.

  • Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times HM Revenue and Customs has met with (a) the Ministry of Justice and (b) the Insolvency Service to discuss the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 reforms to insolvency litigation on creditors since 2012.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs regularly meet with other departments as a matter of course.

  • Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann McKechin on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Glasgow North constituency have used the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme to date.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government publishes quarterly official statistics relating to the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. The first of these were published on 29 May 2014.

    This report, along with accompanying tables, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-to-buy-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-quarterly-statistics-october-2013-to-march-2014

    “

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish any cost benefit analysis of awarding the contract for the tax-free childcare scheme to National Savings & Investments undertaken before the decision was announced.

    Nicky Morgan

    On the 23 May the Government published a further consultation on the delivery of childcare accounts within Tax-Free Childcare. The consultation will be open until 27 June and the Government will consider the responses alongside those to the first consultation before it makes its decision on the provision of childcare accounts.

    This and the previous consultation has set out options for delivering childcare accounts through the public and private sector so that all interested parties will have had an opportunity to comment on them. These options will be assessed against the criteria set out in the consultation document, Tax-Free Childcare:consultation on childcare account provision (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/313878/PU1667_Tax-Free_Childcare__consultation_on_childcare_account_provision.pdf)

    “

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department will give childcare provides on the introduction of tax-free childcare.

    Nicky Morgan

    The Government’s response to the consultation on design and operation of Tax-Free Childcare, published on 18th March 2014, sets out that the Government will work with stakeholders to develop guidance and communications to support childcare providers to understand the scheme.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost was of the report entitled, Evaluating alternative market models for Tax-Free Childcare vouchers, prepared by Economic Insight for his Department; what assessment he made of this report’s findings and recommendations; and whether these recommendations informed the operation and design of his Department’s policy on tax-free childcare.

    Nicky Morgan

    Economic Insight were asked to consider whether there are any reasons why a private sector competitive market for childcare accounts might not function well. It compared it to a closed model in which there is competition to select a limited number of private sector childcare account providers. It concluded that there were no reasons why a competitive market could not function effectively as parents would be able to assess the differences between the offers and choose accordingly.

    On the 23 May the Government published a further consultation on the delivery of childcare accounts within Tax-Free Childcare. The consultation will be open until 27 June and the Government will consider the responses alongside those to the first consultation before it makes its decision on the provision of childcare accounts.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what performance indicators he has agreed with National Savings and Investments (NS&I) on the delivery of tax-free childcare; how often NS&I will be benchmarked against such indicators; how often the results of this benchmarking will be made available; what penalties have been agreed for poor performance against these indicators; and if he will make a statement.

    Nicky Morgan

    On the 23 May the Government published a further consultation on the delivery of childcare accounts within Tax-Free Childcare. The consultation will be open until 27 June and the Government will consider the responses alongside those to the first consultation before it makes its decision on the provision of childcare accounts.