Tag: Ian Murray

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2015-10-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake and publish an impact assessment in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK for the Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.

Damian Hinds

The Summer Budget offered a new deal for working people. It means Britain moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society.

A new National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and above, initially set at £7.20 per hour from April 2016, will directly benefit 2.7 million low wage workers, and up to 6 million could see a pay rise as a result of a ripple effect up the earnings distribution. The new National Living Wage will boost pay for those currently earning the National Minimum Wage by £4,800 a year by 2020 when the National Living Wage is expected to rise to over £9 per hour.

To help working families keep more of what they earn, the personal allowance will increase to £11,000 in 2016-17 and £11,200 in 2017-18. The government has committed to increase the personal allowance to £12,500 by 2020 which will mean that a typical basic rate taxpayer will see their income tax cut by £1,205 a year compared to 2010.

The government set out its assessment of the impacts of the Summer Budget policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20^th July 2015. Taken together, the introduction of the National Living Wage, increases in the personal allowance and welfare changes mean that 8 out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the Summer Budget.

In response to a request from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, the government has chosen to produce and release an impact assessment on the tax credit changes to the Committee. The impact assessment shows that 60% of the tax credit savings come from the half of tax credit claimants with the highest income.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail Group, Ofcom or officials or Ministers in other departments about invoking section 44(9) and section 44(10) of the Postal Services Act 2011 to ask Ofcom to report on the sustainability of the Universal Service Obligation.

Jenny Willott

None.

Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom the primary duty to secure the ongoing provision of the universal service and to this end Ofcom must also have regard for the provision of a universal service to be financially sustainable.

Ofcom monitors market developments, including any impacts on Royal Mail’s performance and operational efficiency, and has the regulatory powers and tools to intervene if the sustainability of the universal service is ever at risk.

As part of its monitoring regime, Ofcom publishes a report every year on Royal Mail’s performance and the postal market, and this includes an update on the financial sustainability of the universal service. More information about Ofcom’s regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Answer of 1 May 2014, Official Report, column 782W, on Royal Mail, what link was established in the engagement letter between the payment of the discretionary fee and the ending of the stabilisation period; and what targets or deadlines were set in the letter.

Michael Fallon

The engagement letter between the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the syndicate of banks involved in the initial public offering indicated that the payment of the discretionary fee would be determined 10 days after the end of the stabilisation period and paid 5 days after that.

As I said in my previous answer (1 May 2014, Official Report, column 782W), we informed the banks that a decision would not be taken in the timeframe set out in the engagement letter given the volatility of the Royal Mail share price after the IPO. The share price remains volatile.

We have not set any timetable for the decision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many complaints about payment of the National Minimum Wage (a) were made, (b) were resolved within the required Departmental timescales and (c) were not resolved within the required Departmental timescales in 2013-14.

Jenny Willott

The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) on behalf of BIS.

HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline and deals with each NMW complaint on a case-by-case basis. The timescale for each case is dependent on a number of factors:

• the complexity of the issues
• the size of employer
• the cooperation of the employer
• the enforcement route required

In 2013/14, HMRC investigated 1631 cases. Of these, 1084 cases were closed; 565 cases were closed within 120 days; 519 cases were closed outside of 120 days and 547 cases are still open and yet to be concluded.

Please note that investigations may not commence and be completed in the same financial year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the target timescale is for resolving complaints regarding non-payment of the National Minimum Wage.

Jenny Willott

The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) on behalf of BIS.

HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline and deals with each NMW complaint on a case-by-case basis. The timescale for each case is dependent on a number of factors:

• the complexity of the issues
• the size of employer
• the cooperation of the employer
• the enforcement route required

In 2013/14, HMRC investigated 1631 cases. Of these, 1084 cases were closed; 565 cases were closed within 120 days; 519 cases were closed outside of 120 days and 547 cases are still open and yet to be concluded.

Please note that investigations may not commence and be completed in the same financial year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with Royal Mail regarding the redirection notices it provides to other postal operators.

Jenny Willott

None. Matters relating to its operations and services, which includes its Redirection Service, are the direct responsibility of Royal Mail’s management.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the budget for the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate is for 2014-15.

Jenny Willott

The budget for the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate is no longer devolved below branch level in the Labour Markets Directorate, and we are therefore unable to provide this information.