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1124381

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Women and Equalities
	answering dept id	31
	answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
	answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
	hansard heading	Government Equalities Office: Secondment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many civil servants in the Government Equalities Office have been seconded to (a) the Department for Exiting the European Union and (b) the Department for International Trade in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	249913
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government Equalities Office (GEO) confirms no GEO civil servants have been seconded to either the Department for Exiting the European Union or the Department for International Trade in the last three years.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 22/05/2019 15:13:56 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1124692

	registered interest
	date	03/05/2019
	answering body	Women and Equalities
	answering dept id	31
	answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
	answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
	hansard heading	Employment: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help ensure that employers provide reasonable adjustments to the workplace so that people with hidden or invisible conditions are able to (a) access and (b) stay in employment.
	tabling member constituency	Bury South
	tabling member printed	Mr Ivan Lewis
	uin	250748
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The law is very clear that employers must make reasonable adjustments for employees and job applicants who meet the Equality Act 2010’s definition of disability, namely having a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on the person’s ability to do normal daily activities. Where a disability is not obvious, it will be necessary for the employee or job applicant to declare their condition, but at that point the onus passes to the employer to meet its legal obligations.</p><p> </p><p>To help employers comply with the law, the Government has issued guidance on the duty to make reasonable adjustments, here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers</a></p><p> </p><p>In addition, guidance on this subject has been issued by Acas and by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which has also published a statutory code of practice for employers. Where employers fall short on their obligations, legal remedies exist for employees and job applicants, together with Acas’s early conciliation service, which aims to settle disputes before they reach the employment tribunal.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 22/05/2019 15:13:27 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	441 label Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis

1126305

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Insolvency
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the basis for their estimate in the consultation by HMRC Protecting your taxes in insolvency, published on 26 February, that the reintroduction of preferential status for any Crown creditor would yield £185 million per annum in additional tax revenue.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
	uin	HL15665
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The estimate is the tax recovered from insolvencies that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) would not otherwise have collected before the policy was implemented. Adjustments were made for tax and payment timing.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 22/05/2019 16:21:03 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

1126306

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Insolvency
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposals in the consultation by HMRC Protecting your taxes in insolvency, published on 26 February, to reintroduce preferential status for any Crown creditor takes into account lost Government revenue resulting from other taxpayers suffering additional bad debts due to the priority payment of HMRC, and any consequential loss to the economy resulting other taxpayers themselves becoming insolvent due to an increased burden of bad debt; and what assessment, if any, they have made of the impact of that change on lending.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
	uin	HL15666
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The ‘Protecting your taxes in insolvency’ proposals take into account lost government revenue resulting from other taxpayers suffering additional bad debts due to the priority payment of HMRC.</p><p> </p><p>Lending against fixed assets will not be impacted by this measure, but lending against floating assets will be impacted, as HMRC will move above secured creditors with floating charges in insolvencies.</p><p> </p><p>At Budget 2018, the independent OBR chose not to make any adjustments to their economic forecast in response to this measure.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 22/05/2019 16:22:56 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

1126332

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Banking Hubs: Competition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to update competition law to allow for shared banking hubs in areas where local bank branches have been closed.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL15692
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Branch closures can be difficult for the communities affected and the Government pays close attention to this issue. However, the decision to close a branch is a commercial one for a firm, and Government does not intervene in those decisions.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Government is equally clear that as banking providers seek to respond to technological advances and changes in customer behaviour, they must also consider carefully the needs of those who still rely on their local bank branch. Since May 2017, the major high street banks have been signed up to the Access to Banking Standard, which commits them to work with customers and communities to minimise the impact of branch closures and put in place alternative banking services.</p><p> </p><p>The Government also supports the Post Office Banking Framework Agreement which enables 99% of the UK’s personal and 95% of the UK’s small business customers to withdraw money, deposit cash and cheques and check balances at any one of the Post Office’s network of 11,500 branches.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>While banks do have to comply with competition law, there is no specific regulation that prevents banks from sharing branches or other premises where their strategies align. The Government therefore has no plans to update competition law on this basis. Government does not intervene in these commercial decisions, but will continue to encourage banks to think creatively about how they can ensure that consumers can access a wide range of banking services on a sustainable basis. For example, NatWest, Lloyds Bank and Barclays are trialling shared business banking hubs in 6 locations across the UK in the coming weeks.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 22/05/2019 16:37:43 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1126530

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Small Businesses: Tax Yields
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the amount of tax revenue accrued was from UK small businesses in 2017-18.
	tabling member constituency	Haltemprice and Howden
	tabling member printed	Mr David Davis
	uin	254129
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Total tax revenue accrued from micro and small sized businesses combined was estimated to be approximately £120 billion in 2016/17. An estimate for 2017/18 will not become available until Autumn 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The estimate given includes Self-Assessment Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance Contributions (NICs), Corporation Tax, VAT, and Pay As You Earn Income Tax and Class 1 NICs. The definition of micro and small sized businesses used is consistent with the EU definition where possible. HMRC works to collect tax due under UK law from all businesses, regardless of size, in the most cost effective way.</p><p> </p><p>The government has also taken a number of steps which benefit small businesses through the tax system. Since Budget 2016 the government has announced reductions to business rates worth more than £13bn over the next five years. NICs bills are also reduced by up to £3,000 for over one million employers, and the UK is also highly competitive, with the lowest overall corporation tax rate in the G20 at 19%. The rate is legislated to fall further to 17% in 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 22/05/2019 10:54:08 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	373 label Biography information for Sir David Davis

1126562

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Treasury: Sick Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in his Department; and what the cost was to his Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	254071
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Treasury’s sickness absence data for ‘mental health and related issues includes stress related conditions. HM Treasury publishes data in the Annual report and Accounts. The data for January to December 2017 can be found in the 2017/18 report and accounts, and data for the period January to December 2018 will be reported in the 2018/19 annual report and accounts which is due to be published in July.</p><p> </p><p>For information I have attached a link below to the 2017/18 report.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report</a></p><p> </p><p>We do not currently make an estimate of the cost of sick absence to the department.</p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury has the following support in place for those that are suffering due to stress or poor mental health including:</p><ul><li>Stress and Mental Health Awareness e-learning – which covers learning about stress, what the stressors can be and how to identify and lessen stress</li><li>Stress risk assessment used to identify stressors and implement controls to help reduce/eliminate the stress</li><li>Workplace Adjustments including flexible working</li><li>Stress Management guidance</li><li>Wellbeing Gateway</li><li>Mental Health Tips</li><li>Tips to help reduce stress</li><li>Mental Health First Aiders</li><li>Employee Assistance Programme - provides a number of confidential advisory, counselling and support services. Their helpline is available 24/7</li><li>Occupational Health provision</li><li>Mental Wellbeing Network</li><li>Treasury Supporters who are employees trained to help colleagues work through any concerns, however serious whatever their cause</li><li>Wellness Action Plans</li><li>Time to Talk Workshops</li><li>HR Advisers and Health, Safety &amp; Wellbeing Team</li><li>HSE Stress Talking Toolkit</li></ul> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 22/05/2019 16:38:48 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126580

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	EU Budget: Contributions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the contribution has been from the public purse to the EU since 29 March 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	254167
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The extension of Article 50 to 31 October 2019 will affect the size of the financial settlement because contributions to the EU that would have formed part of the settlement will be made while the UK remains a Member State, which reduces the size of the settlement. The UK will make further contributions in 2019 as a Member State until our exit, but there will be an equal reduction in contributions in 2019 under the financial settlement. The net effect on EU contributions is zero.</p><p>The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimated in its March 2019 Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) that the UK’s net (public sector receipts) contribution to the EU over 2019/20 would be £11bn.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 22/05/2019 11:00:45 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1126608

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Electronic Publishing: VAT Zero Rating
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the amendment to the EU VAT Directive agreed in October 2018, whether there is any impediment preventing the UK from zero-rating VAT on e-publications.
	tabling member constituency	St Austell and Newquay
	tabling member printed	Steve Double
	uin	254223
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Following changes to the EU Value Added Tax (VAT) Directive which took effect in December 2018, Member States may equalise the VAT treatment of physical publications and e-publications.</p><p> </p><p>The Government keeps all taxes under review, including VAT on e-publications.</p><p> </p><p>Any amendments to the UK VAT regime as it applies to physical publications and e-publications must be carefully assessed against policy, economic and fiscal considerations.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride grouped question UIN 254224 question first answered 22/05/2019 11:04:16 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	4452 label Biography information for Steve Double

1126609

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Electronic Publishing: VAT Zero Rating
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons ebooks are not zero-rated to protect the accessibility of knowledge.
	tabling member constituency	St Austell and Newquay
	tabling member printed	Steve Double
	uin	254224
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Following changes to the EU Value Added Tax (VAT) Directive which took effect in December 2018, Member States may equalise the VAT treatment of physical publications and e-publications.</p><p> </p><p>The Government keeps all taxes under review, including VAT on e-publications.</p><p> </p><p>Any amendments to the UK VAT regime as it applies to physical publications and e-publications must be carefully assessed against policy, economic and fiscal considerations.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride grouped question UIN 254223 question first answered 22/05/2019 11:04:16 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	4452 label Biography information for Steve Double