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64662

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	UK Membership of EU: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the economic benefit to Northern Ireland of the UK's membership of the EU.
tabling member constituency	Bury South
tabling member printed	Mr Ivan Lewis
uin	203194
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government has made no assessment of the economic benefit to Northern Ireland of the UK's membership of the EU.</p> answering member constituency Loughborough answering member printed Nicky Morgan question first answered 03/07/2014 15:37:53 answering member 4027 label Biography information for Baroness Morgan of Cotes
tabling member	441 label Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis

64152

registered interest
date	26/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Banks: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with the (a) Prudential Regulation Authority and (b) Financial Conduct Authority about reports of UK banks paying allowances to employees in order to avoid the EU's bonus cap; and what steps he plans to take to reduce such practices.
tabling member constituency	Bolton North East
tabling member printed	Mr David Crausby
uin	202634
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle excessive pay in the financial sector and ensure that pay is aligned with performance, with a tough Remuneration Code that requires deferral of at least 60% of bonuses of senior bankers and limits the amounts that can be paid in cash. Bonuses are down significantly since their peak under the last Government, and are now largely deferred and paid in shares.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In contrast, the EU's bonus cap is a poorly thought through measure that undermines rather than reinforces our efforts by pushing up fixed pay. It was introduced without any proper impact assessment and has issues around its compatibility with the EU Treaty; for these reasons we are challenging it in the European Court of Justice. However, pending the outcome, the Government is fully implementing the cap in the UK, and the Prudential Regulation Authority is responsible for ensuring that the banks comply with these rules.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 03/07/2014 15:39:53 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	437 label Biography information for Sir David Crausby

64272

registered interest
date	26/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Financial Conduct Authority
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which powers and responsibilities the Financial Conduct Authority has not inherited from the Office of Fair Trading; and which financial regulatory body has inherited each such power and responsibility.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	202724
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market. The transfer of regulatory responsibility for consumer credit from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) took effect in April. The FCA has stronger powers and is far better equipped to protect consumers than the OFT.</p><p> </p><p>Wonga has voluntarily agreed to pay compensation totaling more than £2.6m to around 45,000 customers in relation to unfair debt collection practices between 2008 and 2010. The requirement agreed by Wonga is available at <a href="http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq" target="_blank">http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq</a>. Had Wonga not agreed, the FCA could have used its powers to impose requirements. Wonga will appoint a skilled person (as specified under section 166 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) to ensure that affected customers receive appropriate compensation.</p><p> </p><p>More generally, the Government has ensured that the FCA has inherited the OFT's powers (both criminal and regulatory) in relation to misconduct which occurred before 1 April 2014, as well as considerably strengthening the FCA's powers in relation to misconduct which occurs under the new regulatory regime.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA has the same powers as the OFT had to investigate and prosecute offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The FCA has also inherited the OFT's power to fine, although the OFT's power to fine under the Consumer Credit Act was limited to fining a firm for breaches of a requirement imposed by the OFT (and the maximum penalty in this regard was £50,000). The Government has already strengthened the new regime by giving the FCA the ability to impose unlimited fines for breaches of regulatory requirements that take place after 1 April 2014.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom grouped question UIN 202688 202725 202726 question first answered 03/07/2014 15:49:59 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

64273

registered interest
date	26/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Financial Conduct Authority
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the scope of the consumer credit regulatory powers of the Financial Conduct Authority.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	202725
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market. The transfer of regulatory responsibility for consumer credit from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) took effect in April. The FCA has stronger powers and is far better equipped to protect consumers than the OFT.</p><p> </p><p>Wonga has voluntarily agreed to pay compensation totaling more than £2.6m to around 45,000 customers in relation to unfair debt collection practices between 2008 and 2010. The requirement agreed by Wonga is available at <a href="http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq" target="_blank">http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq</a>. Had Wonga not agreed, the FCA could have used its powers to impose requirements. Wonga will appoint a skilled person (as specified under section 166 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) to ensure that affected customers receive appropriate compensation.</p><p> </p><p>More generally, the Government has ensured that the FCA has inherited the OFT's powers (both criminal and regulatory) in relation to misconduct which occurred before 1 April 2014, as well as considerably strengthening the FCA's powers in relation to misconduct which occurs under the new regulatory regime.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA has the same powers as the OFT had to investigate and prosecute offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The FCA has also inherited the OFT's power to fine, although the OFT's power to fine under the Consumer Credit Act was limited to fining a firm for breaches of a requirement imposed by the OFT (and the maximum penalty in this regard was £50,000). The Government has already strengthened the new regime by giving the FCA the ability to impose unlimited fines for breaches of regulatory requirements that take place after 1 April 2014.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom grouped question UIN 202688 202724 202726 question first answered 03/07/2014 15:49:59 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

64274

registered interest
date	26/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Wonga
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what requirement will be placed on Wonga to track down the address of each customer due financial compensation for unfair and misleading debt collection practices.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	202726
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market. The transfer of regulatory responsibility for consumer credit from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) took effect in April. The FCA has stronger powers and is far better equipped to protect consumers than the OFT.</p><p> </p><p>Wonga has voluntarily agreed to pay compensation totaling more than £2.6m to around 45,000 customers in relation to unfair debt collection practices between 2008 and 2010. The requirement agreed by Wonga is available at <a href="http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq" target="_blank">http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq</a>. Had Wonga not agreed, the FCA could have used its powers to impose requirements. Wonga will appoint a skilled person (as specified under section 166 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) to ensure that affected customers receive appropriate compensation.</p><p> </p><p>More generally, the Government has ensured that the FCA has inherited the OFT's powers (both criminal and regulatory) in relation to misconduct which occurred before 1 April 2014, as well as considerably strengthening the FCA's powers in relation to misconduct which occurs under the new regulatory regime.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA has the same powers as the OFT had to investigate and prosecute offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The FCA has also inherited the OFT's power to fine, although the OFT's power to fine under the Consumer Credit Act was limited to fining a firm for breaches of a requirement imposed by the OFT (and the maximum penalty in this regard was £50,000). The Government has already strengthened the new regime by giving the FCA the ability to impose unlimited fines for breaches of regulatory requirements that take place after 1 April 2014.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom grouped question UIN 202688 202724 202725 question first answered 03/07/2014 15:49:59 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

64279

registered interest
date	26/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Financial Conduct Authority
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring foward legislative proposals to amend the statutory powers of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to permit the FCA to investigate alleged illegal actions undertaken before its creation.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	202688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market. The transfer of regulatory responsibility for consumer credit from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) took effect in April. The FCA has stronger powers and is far better equipped to protect consumers than the OFT.</p><p> </p><p>Wonga has voluntarily agreed to pay compensation totaling more than £2.6m to around 45,000 customers in relation to unfair debt collection practices between 2008 and 2010. The requirement agreed by Wonga is available at <a href="http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq" target="_blank">http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/requirement-notices/wonga-group-limited-vreq</a>. Had Wonga not agreed, the FCA could have used its powers to impose requirements. Wonga will appoint a skilled person (as specified under section 166 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) to ensure that affected customers receive appropriate compensation.</p><p> </p><p>More generally, the Government has ensured that the FCA has inherited the OFT's powers (both criminal and regulatory) in relation to misconduct which occurred before 1 April 2014, as well as considerably strengthening the FCA's powers in relation to misconduct which occurs under the new regulatory regime.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA has the same powers as the OFT had to investigate and prosecute offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The FCA has also inherited the OFT's power to fine, although the OFT's power to fine under the Consumer Credit Act was limited to fining a firm for breaches of a requirement imposed by the OFT (and the maximum penalty in this regard was £50,000). The Government has already strengthened the new regime by giving the FCA the ability to impose unlimited fines for breaches of regulatory requirements that take place after 1 April 2014.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom grouped question UIN 202724 202725 202726 question first answered 03/07/2014 15:49:59 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

64283

registered interest
date	26/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Financial Markets: Regulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the regulation of the practice of dark pool trading by high frequency bank traders.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	202699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>Treasury Ministers regularly meet with Ministers in other departments as part of normal Government business. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dark pool trading is subject to regulation under the markets in financial instruments directive (2004/39/EC) (MiFID). The new MiFIR Regulation (600/2014/EU) recently agreed as part of the “MiFID 2” negotiations will impose significant limits on dark pool trading in the EU.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 03/07/2014 15:42:29 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

63845

registered interest
date	25/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Business: Government Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to support businesses with five or fewer staff.
tabling member constituency	Isle of Wight
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Turner
uin	202335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The Government's long term economic plan is backing small businesses as they set up and grow. As part of this plan we are cutting taxes and reducing red tape to help businesses. In particular, the Employment Allowance was introduced in April 2014, and allows businesses and charities throughout the UK to deduct up to £2,000 off their employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) bill each year. Over 60% of the total benefit of the policy is expected to go to businesses with fewer than 10 employees, and a business employing three people on the median full-time private sector wage of £25,800 in 2014-15 will see their typical NICs bill cut by over 25 per cent.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Autumn Statement 2013 announced the extension of the Small Business Rate Relief until April 2015, taking 350,000 small businesses out of business rates.</p><p> </p><p>The British Business Bank was launched in October 2013 to make finance markets work better for small firms, allowing them to prosper, grow and support the UK economy. Over the next five years, the Bank aims to unlock up to £10 billion of financing for viable smaller businesses. Business Bank programmes facilitated a total of £782m of new lending and investment in the fiscal year 2013/14, to over 30,000 businesses. This represents more than a doubling of activity on the previous year. The Business Bank also supported £100m of new Venture Capital investment in 2013/14. StartUp Loans is a £322m scheme to help individuals to access finance and support to start a business. Over 18,000 loans totalling more than £90m have been made since the launch in April 2012.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These measures are all part of our economic plan that is building a stronger, more competitive economy.</p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 03/07/2014 15:52:24 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	1426 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Turner

64002

registered interest
date	25/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Welfare Tax Credits: Self-employed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many self-employed people claimed (a) child tax credits and (b) working tax credits in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	202509
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p>The following table is based on finalised tax credits administrative data for each financial year. The latest data available are 2012-13.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td colspan="2"><p><em>Thousands</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tax Year</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Number of families in receipt of tax credits containing at least one member identified as self-employed</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>Families benefitting from both WTC and CTC</p></td><td><p>Families benefitting from WTC Only</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>740</p></td><td><p>80</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>760</p></td><td><p>100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>780</p></td><td><p>130</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>800</p></td><td><p>150</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>750</p></td><td><p>160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>600</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">170</del> <ins class="ministerial">169</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Data from earlier years is only available at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The decrease in the number of self employed households in 2012-13 can largely be explained by the removal of the ‘Second Income Threshold’ of tax credits in April 2012. This policy change removed a large number of higher income households from the whole tax credits population.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In general, there is and has been a long term trend of growth in the number of self employed people.</p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 03/07/2014 15:57:45 question first ministerially corrected 24/03/2015 11:57:50 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke previous answer version 7782 answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms