Tag: Seema Malhotra

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-03-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.228 of Budget 2016, on what date he plans to close the Money Advice Service.

Harriett Baldwin

At Budget 2016, the government published its response to the Public Financial Guidance Review and launched a consultation seeking views on the government’s plans to restructure the statutory financial guidance providers – the Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise. This paper, which closes on 8 June 2016, sets out a new delivery model for public financial guidance and seeks views on how, within this model, the proposed services could best be offered. The new delivery model is designed to better complement the financial guidance provided by the third sector and the industry and provide more targeted support for consumers.

The government will consider the responses to this consultation over the summer, and in parallel, work closely with the affected organisations to finalise the delivery structure. A detailed timetable will be set out with the final response, which will be published in the autumn. The government has been clear that the three affected organisations will continue to provide guidance to consumers until at least 2018.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-10-30.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the interim recommendations of Sir Charles Bean’s review of the quality, delivery and governance of local statistics.

Harriett Baldwin

The independent review of UK economic statistics will publish interim recommendations for the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister for the Cabinet Office in autumn 2015. A final report will be published at Budget 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to publish his review of the residential conversion threshold for agricultural buildings.

Brandon Lewis

We announced in the Rural Productivity Plan that we will review the planning constraints facing rural businesses. This will include a review of the current threshold for agricultural buildings to convert to residential buildings. A Call for Evidence will be published later in the autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish the outcome of his call for evidence on extending permitted development rights to taller mobile telephone masts.

Brandon Lewis

The outcome of the review of how the planning system in England can support the delivery of mobile connectivity will be announced in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people in (a) Feltham and Heston constituency, (b) Houndslow, (c) London and (d) the UK sought advice from the Family Rights Group in 2015.

Edward Timpson

The Department for Education supports the Family Rights Group (FRG) in providing a national helpline for England. Our grant agreement with FRG does not require them to provide us with data by ward or the wider UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-01-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received since September 2015 on (a) consumer debt and (b) personal loans.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government has fundamentally reformed the regulation of consumer credit, transferring regulatory responsibility from the Office of Fair Trading to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA regime has been designed to strike the right balance between proportionality and consumer protection. The Government has ensured that the FCA has robust powers to protect consumers.

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with, and receive letters from, 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 at:

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

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-03-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.228 of Budget 2016, what the timetable is for the restructuring of the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise.

Harriett Baldwin

At Budget 2016, the government published its response to the Public Financial Guidance Review and launched a consultation seeking views on the government’s plans to restructure the statutory financial guidance providers – the Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise. This paper, which closes on 8 June 2016, sets out a new delivery model for public financial guidance and seeks views on how, within this model, the proposed services could best be offered. The new delivery model is designed to better complement the financial guidance provided by the third sector and the industry and provide more targeted support for consumers.

The government will consider the responses to this consultation over the summer, and in parallel, work closely with the affected organisations to finalise the delivery structure. A detailed timetable will be set out with the final response, which will be published in the autumn. The government has been clear that the three affected organisations will continue to provide guidance to consumers until at least 2018.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects (a) to date and (b) in the future of the institutes of technology on UK productivity.

Greg Hands

1. This government’s Productivity Plan responds to the UK’s long-standing productivity gap compared to other some countries. The Institutes of Technology will seek to improve the UK’s performance on intermediate professional and technical skills. It will focus on the higher level skills employers demand, and will provide high-standard provision at levels 3, 4 and 5 – as part of a transformed skills system which is better able to meet local economic needs.