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  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the benefits of granting permitted development rights to mobile network masts up to 50 metres in height in non-protected areas.

    Brandon Lewis

    The review of how the planning system in England can further support the delivery of mobile connectivity sought views on the planning changes made in 2013 including 4G deployment and the case for taller ground based masts. The outcome will be announced in due course.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will discuss with the Chief Executive of HSBC that bank’s application of money laundering rules to hon. Members of both Houses of Parliament and their immediate and extended families; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Under the UK’s Money Laundering Regulations 2007, the meaning of a politically exposed person does not include an individual who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function by the UK. The Fourth Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, makes no distinction between the prominent functions by the UK and third countries. However, the Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. We will be setting out this view in our consultation which will be published shortly.

    This change should not prevent any Member of this House, or any other individual in this category, from gaining or maintaining a UK bank account. I regularly raise these issues with banks and the regulator and we encourage the banks to implement these measures domestically in the most risk-based manner possible.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 24 February 2015 to Question 224081, on social services: pay, whether HM Revenue and Customs has completed its investigations into the six social care companies.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has investigated over 400 care sector employers involving 330 complaints from workers and 79 targeted using our risking tools. Non-compliance has been found in about a third of completed investigations, identifying over £436,000 arrears for nearly 3,000 care workers. HMRC’s investigations have assured the working practices of the social care providers who employ almost 20% of the total workforce in that sector.

    HMRC has not completed all the investigations into the six social care companies. The Department does not discuss the results of specific investigations for reasons of confidentiality.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans HM Revenue and Customs has to take into account the effect of downtime of the HSBC online banking system during January 2015 when issuing penalties for late self-assessment tax returns.

    Mr David Gauke

    The downtime of online HSBC had no impact on customer’s ability to successfully file their tax return

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies using HM Revenue and Customs’ Large Business Service are subject to investigations relating to their tax; and how long each of those companies has been subject to such investigation.

    Mr David Gauke

    Until 31 March 2014, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Large Business Service dealt with the tax affairs of around 800 of the largest businesses in the UK. From 1 April 2014 HMRC’s new Large Business directorate deals with the tax affairs of around 2,000 large businesses.

    At 31 December 2015 HMRC had enquiries open with 567 of the largest 800 businesses covering 2,826 risks.

    At 31 December 2015 HMRC had enquiries open with 1,117 of the large businesses dealt with by the Large Business Directorate, covering 3,981 risks.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the HSBC Board on its practice of (a) refusing and (b) withdrawing bank accounts from UK citizens who it identifies as being politically exposed persons; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Under the UK’s Money Laundering Regulations 2007, the meaning of a politically exposed person does not include an individual who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function by the UK. The Fourth Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, makes no distinction between the prominent functions by the UK and third countries. However, the Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. We will be setting out this view in our consultation which will be published shortly.

    This change should not prevent any Member of this House, or any other individual in this category, from gaining or maintaining a UK bank account. I regularly raise these issues with banks and the regulator and we encourage the banks to implement these measures domestically in the most risk-based manner possible.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff of HM Revenue and Customs’ Large Business Service worked on each of that service’s investigations relating to the tax of companies in each of the last six years.

    Mr David Gauke

    Until 31 March 2014, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Large Business Service (LBS) dealt with the tax affairs of around 800 of the largest businesses in the UK. From 1 April 2014 HMRC’s Large Business directorate (LB) deals with the tax affairs of around 2,000 large businesses.

    At 31 December 2015, the number of staff deployed in LB was 2,600.

    At year end (31 March), the number of staff deployed in previous years was:

    LB

    2014-15 2,350

    LBS

    2013-14 1,303

    2012-13 1,194

    2011-12 1,306

    2010-11 1,438

    These staff are supplemented by specialists in other parts of HMRC. It is not possible to say how many staff were deployed on each investigation.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department had with the International Accounting Standards Board on the effect of conversion to IFRS accounting standards for financial services companies on leverage ratios for those companies.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In the UK, listed companies have been required to use International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) since 2005. Banks who are not required to use IFRS are able to choose between using IFRS or using UK Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

    This Government has not had any discussions with the International Accounting Standards Board around the effect of companies being required to convert to IFRS, though continues to engage with that body and all others involved in setting standards for the financial services sector.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the level of potential exposure to risk transferred to the public purse due to the introduction of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Treasury publishes annually an assessment of risk from the Government’s financial interventions, including the risk borne by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) due to these interventions. This was most recently disclosed in the Treasury Group 2014/15 Annual Accounts published in July last year.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to accept the invitation from the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings to meet it to discuss how to ensure a fair corporate tax regime in the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    On behalf of the Chancellor and as Minister responsible for tax policy, I met with delegates of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings when they visited London on 18 June 2015, to explain the UK position that tax policy is a matter for national governments, and to provide information on the international and domestic action taken by this Government to counter tax evasion and avoidance.

    The Chancellor will consider any formal requests to meet the Committee in due course.