Blog

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance he has given to HM Revenue and Customs on the use of powers in the Finance Act 2014 to issue accelerated payment notices for seeking retrospective tax payments.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has the power to seek upfront payment of disputed tax in certain avoidance cases.

    The legislation is not retrospective. It does not create any new tax liability; it simply alters where the tax sits while the liability is being disputed.

    The taxpayer can continue to dispute the case and will be repaid with interest should they win.

    At 31 March 2016 HMRC had issued over 46,000 accelerated payments notices, representing over £4.8bn of tax in dispute; and over £2.5bn had been received.

  • Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-05-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reduce the gender pay gap in the financial services sector.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The gender pay gap is at a record low. New regulations require all firms with over 250 employees to publish their gender pay gaps. These regulations will increase transparency and accelerate progress, especially in sectors with large gender pay gaps such as financial services.

    In March, the government launched the Women in Finance Charter which asks financial services firms to implement recommendations from Jayne-Anne Gadhia’s review into the representation of senior women in financial services.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of corporation tax receipts from the digital economy sector in 2015-16.

    Mr David Gauke

    We cannot make an estimate of the corporation tax receipts from the digital economy.

    During the international work on corporate tax avoidance in the digital economy, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development agreed that the digital economy cannot be ringfenced for tax purposes. This is because it is becoming impossible to say what is and is not part of the digital economy, due to digital aspects permeating the economy as a whole.

  • Gill Furniss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gill Furniss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gill Furniss on 2016-05-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulation of banking sector.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Since 2010 the government has:

    • legislated for the ring-fencing of large banks’ retail arms from their investment banking arms;

    • ensured that the senior managers of banks are held accountable for their decisions; and

    • put the Bank of England back in charge of bank prudential regulation.

    The IMF noted in its recent Article IV concluding statement that “owing to a large extent to a wave of welcome regulatory reforms since the crisis, the main parts of the UK financial system appear resilient”.

    The Government agrees with the IMF’s assessment.

  • Edward Leigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Edward Leigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Leigh on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what further plans the Government has to devolve tax powers to Northern Ireland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The Government remains committed to devolving corporation tax rate setting powers subject to the Executive delivering sustainable finances, as set out in the Stormont House Agreement.

    We also recognise the potential for further fiscal powers going to the Executive.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library copies of all letters, leaflets and other material from his Department circulated to (a) stakeholders and (b) members of the public on the EU referendum; what the costs of the production and distribution of that material has been since 1 January 2016; and what he estimates the cost of any further production and distribution of such material will be between 6 May 2016 and 23 June 2016.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by my Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (John Penrose) UIN 38811.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has carried out an impact assessment on the effect of removing housing benefit from people aged under 25 on (a) disabled people and (b) care leavers.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department is committed to supporting young people so those who need support with housing costs will continue to receive it. The Department is currently consulting with stakeholders in order to identify those groups of young people and develop suitable protections. Once this work is complete we will bring forward detailed proposals and an impact assessment in line with standard procedures.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2016 to Question 37198, how many of the leaflets entitled Why the Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK have been returned to his Department; and what the postage cost to the Government has been of such returns.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I refer the Hon Member to the Prime Minister’s response of 25th May 2016. This information is not collated centrally by the Department.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people appointed to the taskforce to look at improving accessibility of apprenticeships for people with learning disabilities have learning difficulties.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The individuals invited to sit on the taskforce represent a range of organisations and specialisms, from employers and training providers to charities and educational experts. Organisations representing disabled people and those with learning disabilities have been invited to take part.

    It would not be appropriate for DWP to disclose personal information about taskforce members.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the loss of local authorities’ access to housing benefit claim data on their ability to target services and support tenants effectively; and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Local authorities are the data owners of Housing Benefit data. DWP shares customer data with local authorities in order for them to assess claims more effectively and quickly and to help them to keep claims right. We have contingency arrangements in place, should those interfaces fail.