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  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish all agreements made to date with EDF energy over financing and borrowing arrangements for the proposed Hinkley C nuclear plant; and if he will ensure that agreements which relate to the differential financial arrangements depending on development of the Flamanville nuclear plant in France and the proposed Sizewell C plant are so published.

    Greg Hands

    The financing and borrowing arrangements for the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear plant have not yet been signed. These arrangements are commercially sensitive and will not be published. However, the Chancellor did announce in September 2015 an initial guarantee of £2 billion of bonds which must be repaid by December 2020 by the shareholders of the project company. There is no further obligation to issue guarantees after that date.

    It is the intention of DECC to publish the Contract for Difference following its signature, and this is the document that contains the reduction in the Hinkley Point C “Strike Price” from £92.50 to £89.50 – which is linked to a positive decision by EDF to proceed with Sizewell C.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of suspected VAT and customs fraud relating to online sales and imports have been the subject of a criminal investigation for possible referral to the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Gauke

    To provide the answer to these questions would incur disproportionate cost. Data has not been captured centrally for the specific categories over the last 10 years.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions for VAT and customs fraud relating to online sales and imports there have been in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Gauke

    To provide the answer to these questions would incur disproportionate cost. Data has not been captured centrally for the specific categories over the last 10 years.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the proportion of tax to income paid by (a) an Uber taxi driver, (b) a black cab driver and (c) a mini cab driver.

    Mr David Gauke

    All self-employed taxi drivers are subject to the same rules when calculating trading profits chargeable to tax.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings Ministers and officials of his Department have had with representatives of Uber in the last 12 months.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

    Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available via the gov.uk website

  • Mark Prisk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Prisk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Prisk on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to increase the £250,000 threshold for properties outside London under the Help to Buy ISA scheme.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The government does not plan to revise the eligibility criteria for the Help to Buy: ISA scheme.

  • Mark Prisk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Prisk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Prisk on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government is planning to introduce restrictions on the sale of UK property to investors living outside the EU.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government has no plans to introduce restrictions on the sale of UK property to investors living outside the EU

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many transfer pricing experts have been employed by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years.

    Harriett Baldwin

    I refer the hon Member to the answer that I gave to the hon Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Shabana Mahmood) on 26 February 2015. Link below:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-15/218658/

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of personal debt and household borrowing.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In Q3 2015 household debt fell to 142 per cent of household income, down from its peak of 168 per cent in Q1 2008. The Government’s plan for a higher wage, lower welfare society makes it easier for families and working people to save, and includes the new National Living Wage which will mean a pay boost for 1.7 million workers this year.

    Nonetheless, the Government recognises that there are those who face problem levels of debt. The Money Advice Service (MAS) is responsible for the coordination of publically funded free to client debt advice and is financed by a levy on the financial services industry. MAS is currently consulting on its business plan; it has proposed levying for a constant debt advice budget for 2016/17 providing around £45 million.

    The Government is currently reviewing how the public provision of free-to-client, impartial financial guidance, including consumer debt advice services, should be structured. The Public Financial Guidance consultation closed in December 2015 and the Government will report back by budget.

    Additionally, we have created the independent Financial Policy Committee within the Bank of England, to ensure emerging risks and vulnerabilities across the financial system as a whole, including in relation to household debt, are identified, monitored and effectively addressed.

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what land and property in Oldham his Department has identified for disposal over the next five years as part of the One Public Estate programme; and if he will estimate (a) the number of jobs that will be created, (b) housing that will be built and (c) capital receipts that will be accrued as a result of the sale of those sites.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government Property Unit is working closely with Oldham Council and others across Greater Manchester on future plans across the public sector estate. Oldham Council is part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Partnership in the One Public Estate Programme delivered by Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association. The GMCA’s plans on what land and property will be disposed are still being developed and have not yet been identified. The partnership was awarded £250,000 in December 2015 on joining Phase 3 of the programme. Overall it expects to generate £172 million capital receipts, and create 30,000 new homes and 43,000 new jobs over the next 5 years. GMCA’s programme also includes the establishment of a Land Commission, which will help to deliver 10,000 new homes per year.