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1524315

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	First Time Buyers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support available for people saving to buy a house; and if he will reconsider the limits placed on help to buy ISAs.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
	uin	67256
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2022 answer text <p>The Help to Buy: ISA scheme aims to help those who are struggling to save enough to get onto the housing ladder. As first-time buyers tend to buy smaller (and therefore cheaper) first properties, the scheme’s property price cap of £250,000 for properties outside London (£450,000 within London) allows the Government to target support more precisely at the people the scheme is intended to help. Since its launch in 2015, the scheme has supported 497,940 property completions across the UK, with a mean property value of £176,125 compared with an average first-time buyer house price of £231,704.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government keeps all aspects of savings policy under review, Help to Buy: ISA account holders can transfer their funds to a Lifetime ISA without incurring any penalties. The Lifetime ISA allows first-time buyers to benefit from the Government bonus when purchasing properties up to £450,000 anywhere in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on the Lifetime ISA together with a comprehensive list other forms of home purchase support schemes can be found on the Government’s website below:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/</a></p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 25/10/2022 13:36:45 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
	tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1177087

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Bankruptcy: Tax Avoidance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be made bankrupt as a result of accelerated payment notices in respect of the 2019 Loan Charge.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	14018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2020 answer text <p>The Accelerated Payment regime is designed to change the underlying economics of tax avoidance by requiring disputed tax to be paid upfront while an avoidance scheme is investigated. HMRC can only issue Accelerated Payment Notices (APNs) in tightly defined circumstances, set out in legislation.</p><p> </p><p>The 2019 Loan Charge is a tax charge which applies to disguised remuneration (DR) loan balances which remained outstanding at 5 April 2019. APNs and the 2019 Loan Charge are two separate, distinct regimes. HMRC cannot issue APNs in relation to the Loan Charge.</p><p> </p><p>There is no estimate on how many people will be made bankrupt as a result of APNs issued in connection with avoidance schemes that seek to disguise remuneration. HMRC do not want to make anybody bankrupt, and insolvency is only ever considered as a last resort. HMRC will work with individuals to reach sustainable and manageable payment plans wherever possible.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 12/02/2020 12:56:04 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1227456

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Housing: Insulation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he proposes to change the rate of VAT applied to insulation installed in dwellings and buildings used for a residential purpose.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	78899
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Under current VAT rules, the installation of water and wind turbines is subject to the standard rate of VAT. However, the installation of other energy saving materials (ESMs) remains subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>Although there are no plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 78743 78744 78745 78900 78901 78902 question first answered 01/09/2020 10:31:25 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1227461

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Solar Power: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to change the rate of VAT applied to solar panels installed on dwellings and buildings used for a residential purpose.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	78900
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Under current VAT rules, the installation of water and wind turbines is subject to the standard rate of VAT. However, the installation of other energy saving materials (ESMs) remains subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>Although there are no plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 78743 78744 78745 78899 78901 78902 question first answered 01/09/2020 10:31:25 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1227462

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Renewable Energy: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to change the rate of VAT applied to water and wind turbines installed in dwellings and buildings used for a residential purpose.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	78901
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Under current VAT rules, the installation of water and wind turbines is subject to the standard rate of VAT. However, the installation of other energy saving materials (ESMs) remains subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>Although there are no plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 78743 78744 78745 78899 78900 78902 question first answered 01/09/2020 10:31:24 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1227463

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Combined Heat and Power: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to change the rate of VAT applied to micro combined heat and power units installed in dwellings and buildings used for a residential purpose.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	78902
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Under current VAT rules, the installation of water and wind turbines is subject to the standard rate of VAT. However, the installation of other energy saving materials (ESMs) remains subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>Although there are no plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 78743 78744 78745 78899 78900 78901 question first answered 01/09/2020 10:31:25 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1230579

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Small Businesses: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available to small businesses which do not meet the definition of a business in the retail, hospitality and leisure industry and therefore do not qualify for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund but which were directly affected by closures in those industries during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	84369
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>Small businesses which were not eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund may have been able to receive a grant from the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund. Local Authorities had significant discretion when it came to setting the eligibility criteria for their discretionary grant schemes. In some areas, small businesses outside of the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors may have been able to receive discretionary grants.</p><p> </p><p>Small businesses which did not receive any grants should have been able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business during the COVID-19 crisis, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;</li><li>The Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which will ensure that small and micro businesses can quickly access loans of up to £50,000 which are 100 per cent guaranteed by the Government;</li><li>The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;</li><li>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills; and</li><li>The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.</li></ul> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 07/09/2020 14:20:17 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1230580

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will advise local authorities to apply discretion to the definition of the retail, hospitality and leisure industry to enable them to offer support through the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund to small businesses affected by closures in those industries during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	84370
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>Small businesses occupying properties for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes were likely to be particularly affected by COVID-19 due to their reliance on customer footfall, and the fact that they were less likely than larger businesses to have sufficient cash reserves to meet their high fixed property-related costs. The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund was intended to help small businesses in this situation. The Government provided Local Authorities with detailed information in the Expanded Retail Discount Guidance regarding which kinds of business properties could be classified as retail, hospitality or leisure properties. Local Authorities were responsible for applying this guidance correctly when making grants.</p><p> </p><p>The RHLGF, along with the other business grant schemes, closed to new applicants on 28 August. As many businesses are now able to reopen, and consumer footfall is increasing, it is right that we wind up the grant schemes.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 07/09/2020 14:18:08 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1230768

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sanitary Products: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will amend the new zero VAT rate for female hygiene products to ensure reusable sanitary underwear is brought within the scope when it comes into effect in January 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	84371
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2020 answer text <p>At Spring Budget on 11 March 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that a zero rate of VAT will apply to women’s sanitary products from 1 January 2021, at the end of the transition period. This will apply to those products which are currently subject to the reduced rate of 5%, for example, tampons and pads, and to reusable menstrual products, such as keepers.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 10/09/2020 12:45:48 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1237087

	registered interest
	date	23/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sanitary Products: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether reusable menstrual underwear is defined as a reusable menstrual product for the purposes of the forthcoming VAT zero rate for menstrual products.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	94585
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2020 answer text <p>The zero rate for women’s sanitary products from 1 January 2021 will apply to those products which are currently subject to the reduced rate of 5 per cent. This covers the supply of any sanitary protection product that is designed and marketed solely for the absorption or collection of menstrual flow or lochia, whether disposable or reusable. The relief specifically excludes dual purpose period and incontinence products, items of clothing such as reusable menstrual underwear, or purely incontinence products.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has not estimated the potential cost to the Exchequer of including reusable menstrual underwear in the scope of the zero VAT rate for women's sanitary products.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 94586 question first answered 01/10/2020 14:51:54 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1237091

	registered interest
	date	23/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sanitary Products: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2020 to Question 84371 on Sanitary Protection: VAT, what recent estimate he has made of the potential cost to the Exchequer of including reusable menstrual underwear in the scope of the zero VAT rate for women's sanitary products from January 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	94586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2020 answer text <p>The zero rate for women’s sanitary products from 1 January 2021 will apply to those products which are currently subject to the reduced rate of 5 per cent. This covers the supply of any sanitary protection product that is designed and marketed solely for the absorption or collection of menstrual flow or lochia, whether disposable or reusable. The relief specifically excludes dual purpose period and incontinence products, items of clothing such as reusable menstrual underwear, or purely incontinence products.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has not estimated the potential cost to the Exchequer of including reusable menstrual underwear in the scope of the zero VAT rate for women's sanitary products.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 94585 question first answered 01/10/2020 14:51:54 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1237160

	registered interest
	date	23/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Community Care: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide ring fenced funding in the Comprehensive Spending Review for community social care services.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	94587
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/09/2020 answer text <p>Decisions on Local Government spending beyond 2020-21 will be taken as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will be published in the autumn.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 30/09/2020 09:43:40 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1238312

	registered interest
	date	28/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Economic Situation: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to provide financial support in addition to the provisions of his Winter Economy Plan announced on 24 September 2020 for businesses that continue to face capacity reduction as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	96214
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/10/2020 answer text The Government has announced a package of measures in the Winter Economic Plan that will continue to protect jobs and help businesses through the uncertain months ahead as we continue to tackle the spread of the virus. The package includes a new Jobs Support Scheme, extending the Self Employment Income Support Scheme and 15% VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors, and help for businesses in repaying government-backed loans. The Government will keep its support for the economy, including businesses affected by the virus, under review.  answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 06/10/2020 14:49:29 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1242926

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Beer: Small Businesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide additional financial support to small breweries during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	102950
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government is supporting small breweries through its unprecedented coronavirus economic response. This includes the job support scheme, job retention bonus, VAT deferral and repayment scheme and the bounce back loans scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 21/10/2020 14:25:13 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1250375

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Uprating
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on maintaining the triple lock on the state pension.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2020 answer text <p>The Chancellor of the Exchequer has regular discussions with the Secretary of State on a range of issues. In response to the unprecedented economic circumstances arising from the Covid 19 pandemic, the Government has taken action by introducing a Bill in Parliament to ensure we can increase State Pension and Pension Credit rates next year. Without this legislation, it would not have been possible to increase the State Pension in 2021/22.</p><p>As with all aspects of Government policy, any decisions on future changes to the Triple Lock will be taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 18/11/2020 14:06:14 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1254499

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Digital Technology: Tax Yields
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much income has been generated by the Digital Sales Tax since its introduction in April 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	119419
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2020 answer text <p>The Digital Services Tax was estimated at Budget 2018 to raise about £1.5bn from 2020-2021 to 2023-2024. However, DST payments are not required before 9 months and a day after the end of an accounting period, and as the tax has been in force for less than 9 months nothing has yet been paid.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 01/12/2020 15:50:20 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1303981

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) client businesses and (b) contractors working through personal service companies who will be affected by changes to IR35 from 6 April 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	171748
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>The changes to the off-payroll working rules come into effect on 6 April 2021 and were legislated for in Finance Act 2020. The off-payroll working rules have been in place for over 20 years and are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own limited company, usually a personal service company or PSC, pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working changes shift responsibility for determining an individual's status from the individual's limited company to the client organisation engaging them. The Government has legislated to ensure there is a client-led status disagreement process where contractors can lodge a complaint, if they disagree on how they have been categorised under the off-payroll working rules.</p><p> </p><p>The Tax Information and Impact Note published at Spring Budget 2021 sets out that the reform is expected to affect about 60,000 client organisations and 180,000 individuals working through their own limited companies.</p><p>The additional revenue estimated to be raised by the reform is approximately £3.8bn over the tax years 2020/21 to 2025/26.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working rules do not prevent anyone from continuing to work through a limited company, or require individuals to move into employment. However, the Government is aware that some businesses will reconsider whether PSCs are still the best way to engage individuals who are working like employees. Some contractors will provide their services in a different way, such as through an agency or umbrella company, and some organisations may offer individuals permanent roles instead, where that suits their business needs. These are commercial decisions, and individuals also have a decision about whether to accept the terms and conditions on offer to them.</p><p> </p><p>The reform was originally announced at Budget 2018. Many businesses would have been prepared for the reform to be implemented in April 2020 as originally planned. HMRC have undertaken a significant programme of education and support to ensure that large and medium-sized businesses are ready to implement the reform. This includes a series of webinars viewed over 19,000 times since October 2020 as well as more targeted bespoke support, such as one-to-one calls and workshops with sectors and customer groups where the reform is expected to have the most impact. HMRC have also worked with representative bodies in specific sectors to reach those customers. For those customers who still require further assistance, HMRC have a dedicated helpline to provide assistance with queries related to the off-payroll working rules.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 171749 171750 171751 171752 question first answered 23/03/2021 14:54:49 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1303982

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of business preparedness for implementing changes to IR35 from 6 April 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	171749
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>The changes to the off-payroll working rules come into effect on 6 April 2021 and were legislated for in Finance Act 2020. The off-payroll working rules have been in place for over 20 years and are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own limited company, usually a personal service company or PSC, pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working changes shift responsibility for determining an individual's status from the individual's limited company to the client organisation engaging them. The Government has legislated to ensure there is a client-led status disagreement process where contractors can lodge a complaint, if they disagree on how they have been categorised under the off-payroll working rules.</p><p> </p><p>The Tax Information and Impact Note published at Spring Budget 2021 sets out that the reform is expected to affect about 60,000 client organisations and 180,000 individuals working through their own limited companies.</p><p>The additional revenue estimated to be raised by the reform is approximately £3.8bn over the tax years 2020/21 to 2025/26.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working rules do not prevent anyone from continuing to work through a limited company, or require individuals to move into employment. However, the Government is aware that some businesses will reconsider whether PSCs are still the best way to engage individuals who are working like employees. Some contractors will provide their services in a different way, such as through an agency or umbrella company, and some organisations may offer individuals permanent roles instead, where that suits their business needs. These are commercial decisions, and individuals also have a decision about whether to accept the terms and conditions on offer to them.</p><p> </p><p>The reform was originally announced at Budget 2018. Many businesses would have been prepared for the reform to be implemented in April 2020 as originally planned. HMRC have undertaken a significant programme of education and support to ensure that large and medium-sized businesses are ready to implement the reform. This includes a series of webinars viewed over 19,000 times since October 2020 as well as more targeted bespoke support, such as one-to-one calls and workshops with sectors and customer groups where the reform is expected to have the most impact. HMRC have also worked with representative bodies in specific sectors to reach those customers. For those customers who still require further assistance, HMRC have a dedicated helpline to provide assistance with queries related to the off-payroll working rules.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 171748 171750 171751 171752 question first answered 23/03/2021 14:54:49 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1303983

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of additional revenue to the Exchequer that will be raised by changes to IR35 from 6 April 2021..
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	171750
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>The changes to the off-payroll working rules come into effect on 6 April 2021 and were legislated for in Finance Act 2020. The off-payroll working rules have been in place for over 20 years and are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own limited company, usually a personal service company or PSC, pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working changes shift responsibility for determining an individual's status from the individual's limited company to the client organisation engaging them. The Government has legislated to ensure there is a client-led status disagreement process where contractors can lodge a complaint, if they disagree on how they have been categorised under the off-payroll working rules.</p><p> </p><p>The Tax Information and Impact Note published at Spring Budget 2021 sets out that the reform is expected to affect about 60,000 client organisations and 180,000 individuals working through their own limited companies.</p><p>The additional revenue estimated to be raised by the reform is approximately £3.8bn over the tax years 2020/21 to 2025/26.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working rules do not prevent anyone from continuing to work through a limited company, or require individuals to move into employment. However, the Government is aware that some businesses will reconsider whether PSCs are still the best way to engage individuals who are working like employees. Some contractors will provide their services in a different way, such as through an agency or umbrella company, and some organisations may offer individuals permanent roles instead, where that suits their business needs. These are commercial decisions, and individuals also have a decision about whether to accept the terms and conditions on offer to them.</p><p> </p><p>The reform was originally announced at Budget 2018. Many businesses would have been prepared for the reform to be implemented in April 2020 as originally planned. HMRC have undertaken a significant programme of education and support to ensure that large and medium-sized businesses are ready to implement the reform. This includes a series of webinars viewed over 19,000 times since October 2020 as well as more targeted bespoke support, such as one-to-one calls and workshops with sectors and customer groups where the reform is expected to have the most impact. HMRC have also worked with representative bodies in specific sectors to reach those customers. For those customers who still require further assistance, HMRC have a dedicated helpline to provide assistance with queries related to the off-payroll working rules.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 171748 171749 171751 171752 question first answered 23/03/2021 14:54:49 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1303984

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what provision there will be for a contractor to challenge an IR35 decision about their employment status made by a business after 6 April 6 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	171751
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>The changes to the off-payroll working rules come into effect on 6 April 2021 and were legislated for in Finance Act 2020. The off-payroll working rules have been in place for over 20 years and are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own limited company, usually a personal service company or PSC, pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working changes shift responsibility for determining an individual's status from the individual's limited company to the client organisation engaging them. The Government has legislated to ensure there is a client-led status disagreement process where contractors can lodge a complaint, if they disagree on how they have been categorised under the off-payroll working rules.</p><p> </p><p>The Tax Information and Impact Note published at Spring Budget 2021 sets out that the reform is expected to affect about 60,000 client organisations and 180,000 individuals working through their own limited companies.</p><p>The additional revenue estimated to be raised by the reform is approximately £3.8bn over the tax years 2020/21 to 2025/26.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working rules do not prevent anyone from continuing to work through a limited company, or require individuals to move into employment. However, the Government is aware that some businesses will reconsider whether PSCs are still the best way to engage individuals who are working like employees. Some contractors will provide their services in a different way, such as through an agency or umbrella company, and some organisations may offer individuals permanent roles instead, where that suits their business needs. These are commercial decisions, and individuals also have a decision about whether to accept the terms and conditions on offer to them.</p><p> </p><p>The reform was originally announced at Budget 2018. Many businesses would have been prepared for the reform to be implemented in April 2020 as originally planned. HMRC have undertaken a significant programme of education and support to ensure that large and medium-sized businesses are ready to implement the reform. This includes a series of webinars viewed over 19,000 times since October 2020 as well as more targeted bespoke support, such as one-to-one calls and workshops with sectors and customer groups where the reform is expected to have the most impact. HMRC have also worked with representative bodies in specific sectors to reach those customers. For those customers who still require further assistance, HMRC have a dedicated helpline to provide assistance with queries related to the off-payroll working rules.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 171748 171749 171750 171752 question first answered 23/03/2021 14:54:50 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1304109

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential for the mass transfer of contractors into the workforce due to changes to IR35.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	171752
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>The changes to the off-payroll working rules come into effect on 6 April 2021 and were legislated for in Finance Act 2020. The off-payroll working rules have been in place for over 20 years and are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own limited company, usually a personal service company or PSC, pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working changes shift responsibility for determining an individual's status from the individual's limited company to the client organisation engaging them. The Government has legislated to ensure there is a client-led status disagreement process where contractors can lodge a complaint, if they disagree on how they have been categorised under the off-payroll working rules.</p><p> </p><p>The Tax Information and Impact Note published at Spring Budget 2021 sets out that the reform is expected to affect about 60,000 client organisations and 180,000 individuals working through their own limited companies.</p><p>The additional revenue estimated to be raised by the reform is approximately £3.8bn over the tax years 2020/21 to 2025/26.</p><p> </p><p>The off-payroll working rules do not prevent anyone from continuing to work through a limited company, or require individuals to move into employment. However, the Government is aware that some businesses will reconsider whether PSCs are still the best way to engage individuals who are working like employees. Some contractors will provide their services in a different way, such as through an agency or umbrella company, and some organisations may offer individuals permanent roles instead, where that suits their business needs. These are commercial decisions, and individuals also have a decision about whether to accept the terms and conditions on offer to them.</p><p> </p><p>The reform was originally announced at Budget 2018. Many businesses would have been prepared for the reform to be implemented in April 2020 as originally planned. HMRC have undertaken a significant programme of education and support to ensure that large and medium-sized businesses are ready to implement the reform. This includes a series of webinars viewed over 19,000 times since October 2020 as well as more targeted bespoke support, such as one-to-one calls and workshops with sectors and customer groups where the reform is expected to have the most impact. HMRC have also worked with representative bodies in specific sectors to reach those customers. For those customers who still require further assistance, HMRC have a dedicated helpline to provide assistance with queries related to the off-payroll working rules.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 171748 171749 171750 171751 question first answered 23/03/2021 14:54:50 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1337439

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business Rates: Tax Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for opening applications for the business rates relief fund announced on 25 March 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	16982
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government is preparing guidance to support local authorities ahead of the rollout of the £1.5 billion business rates relief fund. The final guidance, its specifics and level of prescription, will reflect considerations including the existing framework of Government support, information held by local authorities and their capacity to administer the scheme.</p><p> </p><p>This discretionary relief pot will support businesses on the basis of their actual economic exposure to COVID-19 rather than the pandemic’s hypothetical impact on property rental values. The alternative of prolonged litigation and appeals through the Material Change of Circumstance provision could have taken years. The Government will support local authorities to enable ratepayers to apply for relief awards as soon as possible this year, once the legislation relating to Material Change of Circumstance provisions has passed, and local authorities have set up local relief schemes.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 16983 question first answered 21/06/2021 14:31:35 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1337440

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business Rates: Tax Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made in establishing the business rates relief fund announced on 25 March 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	16983
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government is preparing guidance to support local authorities ahead of the rollout of the £1.5 billion business rates relief fund. The final guidance, its specifics and level of prescription, will reflect considerations including the existing framework of Government support, information held by local authorities and their capacity to administer the scheme.</p><p> </p><p>This discretionary relief pot will support businesses on the basis of their actual economic exposure to COVID-19 rather than the pandemic’s hypothetical impact on property rental values. The alternative of prolonged litigation and appeals through the Material Change of Circumstance provision could have taken years. The Government will support local authorities to enable ratepayers to apply for relief awards as soon as possible this year, once the legislation relating to Material Change of Circumstance provisions has passed, and local authorities have set up local relief schemes.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 16982 question first answered 21/06/2021 14:31:35 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1337441

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the increase of employers' contributions to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme from 1 July 2021 on businesses that remain closed due to covid-19 restrictions.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	16984
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>From 1 July 2021, employers will be asked to make a small contribution of ten per cent of wages for hours not worked, as announced at Spring Budget when the scheme was extended to the end of September.</p><p> </p><p>This is the same approach that the Government introduced last summer, where comparable restrictions were in place. It is right to continue with the existing timetable to reintroduce employer contributions, in order to strike the right balance between supporting the economy as it opens up and ensuring incentives are in place to get people back to work as demand returns. The labour market is also in a stronger position, with 5.5 million fewer people on furlough than in April 2020, and online job vacancy levels in mid-June about 27 per cent above February 2020 levels.</p><p> </p><p>At March Budget 2021, the Government deliberately went long and erred on the side of generosity; specifically to accommodate short delays to the roadmap, such as this. Most of the Government’s schemes do not end until September or after, in order to provide continuity and certainty for businesses and families.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses that have legally remained closed or effectively cannot operate can continue to benefit from the Government’s £2 billion of discretionary grant funding for local authorities in England, a UK-wide recovery loan scheme, business rates relief, enhanced Time to Pay for taxes, and support for paying deferred VAT. These businesses will also have recently benefitted from Restart Grants of up to £18,000 and the £25 billion grant support that has been made available throughout the pandemic.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/06/2021 14:50:19 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1338490

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Coronavirus: Government Assistance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the details of meetings (a) he and (b) other Treasury Ministers have had with groups representing people excluded from covid-19 support schemes in 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	19724
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2021 answer text <p>Treasury ministers and officials have had meetings with a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, including MPs, businesses, professional representative bodies, and the unions, throughout the development of the COVID-19 support package including both the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>This proactive engagement has been widely praised, and the Institute for Government has said: “The Government’s approach to consultation compensated for some of the difficulties of accelerated policy development, because it gave it fast access to information, and an early sense of whether the measures would work and how they would be received by businesses and workers. This contributed to both positive reception on announcement and successful roll-out.”</p><p> </p><p>Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 19725 question first answered 24/06/2021 14:09:22 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1338596

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Self-employed: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury's answer to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on 16 June 2021, Official Report, column 318, which groups the Financial Secretary has met to discuss support for freelancers in the (a) creative and (b) other sectors.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	19725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2021 answer text <p>Treasury ministers and officials have had meetings with a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, including MPs, businesses, professional representative bodies, and the unions, throughout the development of the COVID-19 support package including both the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>This proactive engagement has been widely praised, and the Institute for Government has said: “The Government’s approach to consultation compensated for some of the difficulties of accelerated policy development, because it gave it fast access to information, and an early sense of whether the measures would work and how they would be received by businesses and workers. This contributed to both positive reception on announcement and successful roll-out.”</p><p> </p><p>Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 19724 question first answered 24/06/2021 14:09:22 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1339585

	registered interest
	date	23/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Infrastructure: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for publication of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority's next iteration of the National Infrastructure and Construction Procurement Pipeline, last published on 16 June 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	21353
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2021 answer text <p>The Infrastructure and Projects Authority publishes a National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline annually, subject to Ministerial approval. The last Pipeline was published in response to COVID-19 and set out planned procurements with an estimated contract value of up to £37bn across the 2020/21 financial year. The next iteration of the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline will be published later this year and will set out future investment alongside planned procurements.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 28/06/2021 11:43:36 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1339586

	registered interest
	date	23/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Infrastructure
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Infrastructure and Projects Authority plans to publish an updated version of the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan, last published in March 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	21354
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government’s first ever National Infrastructure Strategy published in autumn 2020 sets out plans to transform UK infrastructure. The National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline and the Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030 documents to be published in 2021 will set out forthcoming projects and policies. The Spending Review in the autumn will set out the Government's plans for investment.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 28/06/2021 11:57:46 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1339882

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Infrastructure: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Infrastructure and Projects Authority will be publish an updated National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, last published in November 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	22039
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to UIN 21353 on 28 June 2021.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 29/06/2021 13:30:24 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1340028

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Treasury: Energy and Environment Protection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury has held with external stakeholders relating to her responsibilities for energy, energy infrastructure, environment and climate policy since 1 January 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	22040
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>I have had meetings with a wide variety of external stakeholders in the public and private sectors (including businesses, regulators, industry associations and academics) in order to carry out my Ministerial duties.</p><p>Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business such as energy, environment and climate policy are published on a quarterly basis. They are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel</a>.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 29/06/2021 06:53:23 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1340029

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Beer: Excise Duties
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the Government's response to the Small Brewers Relief (SBR) technical consultation.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	22041
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>The Treasury is in the process of analysing responses to the technical consultation and is working closely with HMRC to understand the technical implications of reform. We will provide further updates in due course.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 29/06/2021 14:36:32 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1340030

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Net Zero Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the final report of his Department’s Net Zero Review.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	22042
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>HM Treasury’s Net Zero Review final report will be published in due course, and in advance of COP26.</p><p>It will be an analytical report that uses existing data to explore the key issues and trade-offs as the UK decarbonises. Against a backdrop of significant uncertainty on technology and costs, as well as changes to the economy over the next 30 years, it focuses on the potential exposure of households and sectors to the transition, and highlights factors to be taken into account in designing policy that will allocate costs over this time horizon. In line with the Review’s terms of reference, the report will not include policy recommendations.</p><p>The Review forms part of a cross-government effort to support the UK’s transition to net zero. The government’s Net Zero Strategy will be published later this year.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch grouped question UIN 21950 question first answered 29/06/2021 06:57:33 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1355934

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Net Zero Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials in his Department are working on the Net Zero Review.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	50168
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2021 answer text <p>HMT takes a flexible and dynamic approach to resourcing in order to meet Government priorities.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 20/09/2021 15:37:39 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1355935

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Carbon Emissions and UN Climate Conference 2021
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last discussed (a) the UK's net zero target, (b) COP26 and (c) HM Treasury's Net Zero Review with the Prime Minister.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	50169
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2021 answer text <p>The Chancellor speaks regularly with the Prime Minister on a wide range of matters.</p><p> </p><p>The government is working at pace to deliver COP26 and the Net Zero Strategy, as well as complementary publications, including HM Treasury’s Net Zero Review. This is in addition to implementing sectoral policies and programmes that support the government’s net zero objectives.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 20/09/2021 15:34:08 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1355936

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Air Passenger Duty: Reform
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials in his Department are working on reforms to domestic Air Passenger Duty.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	50170
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2021 answer text <p>HMT takes a flexible and dynamic approach to resourcing in order to meet Government priorities. We do not routinely record the number of full time equivalent civil servants who work on individual policy initiatives.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 20/09/2021 14:59:53 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1356909

	registered interest
	date	20/09/2021
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Fuels: Excise Duties
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what forecast he has made of the level of revenues from fuel duties for each of the next five years.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	51885
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published its fuel duties forecast up to and including 2025-26, as part of its <em>Economic and fiscal outlook </em>in March 2021. This set out that fuel duties are estimated to reach £26.0bn in 2021-22, £29.2bn in 2022-23, £30.1bn in 2023-24, £30.6bn in 2024-25 and £31.2bn in 2025-26.</p><p> </p><p>An updated forecast is expected to be published by the OBR on Wednesday 27 October.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 23/09/2021 14:48:06 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1417505

	registered interest
	date	27/01/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Lord Agnew of Oulton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what occasions he met with Lord Agnew of Oulton in the last three months; and what the topics of those meetings were.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113288
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2022 answer text <p>The Chancellor and Ministers in HM Treasury regularly met with Lord Agnew as part of their Ministerial duties.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately grouped question UIN 113289 question first answered 01/02/2022 15:58:53 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1417506

	registered interest
	date	27/01/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Lord Agnew of Oulton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what occasions (a) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, (b) the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, (c) the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and (d) the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury met with Lord Agnew of Oulton in the last three months; and what the topics of those meetings were.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113289
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2022 answer text <p>The Chancellor and Ministers in HM Treasury regularly met with Lord Agnew as part of their Ministerial duties.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately grouped question UIN 113288 question first answered 01/02/2022 15:58:53 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1417507

	registered interest
	date	27/01/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Lord Agnew of Oulton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he received correspondence Lord Agnew of Oulton on fraud in the coronavirus business loan schemes in the last three months.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113290
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2022 answer text <p>As a former joint HM-Treasury Minister and Cabinet Office, the Chancellor and Lord Agnew of Oulton met regularly to discuss issues, including fraud, as part of Lord Agnew’s remit overseeing the Cabinet Office Counter Fraud Function.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 01/02/2022 16:02:16 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1417508

	registered interest
	date	27/01/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish any strategy he has produced on preventing fraud in the coronavirus business support schemes.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113291
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2022 answer text <p>The Government has consistently stated that fraud is totally unacceptable, and we are taking action on multiple fronts to recover money lost to error and fraud and, where necessary, taking legal action on those who have sought to exploit the COVID-19 support schemes. It was right to establish the schemes quickly and in a way that they could be accessed easily by the millions who needed support.</p><p> </p><p>Given the unprecedented efforts that the Government has made to protect jobs and livelihoods during this pandemic, it would have been impossible to prevent all related fraud.</p><p> </p><p>In designing the COVID-19 support schemes the Government followed the leading practice of the International Public Sector Fraud Forum on dealing with fraud in an emergency context. The dedicated Government Counter Fraud Function and Centre of Expertise re-prioritised its work to focus on COVID Financial Support schemes. It provided fraud risk assessment support, offered expert counter fraud advice, and created data driven tools to Government departments to help prevent, detect, and recover fraud. The Fraud Function continues to offer post event assurance support to Government departments to find and fight fraud.</p><p> </p><p>Robust measures were put in place to control error and fraud in the key COVID-19 support schemes from their inception. For instance, to minimise the risk of fraud and error and unverified claims, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme were designed in a way to prevent ineligible claims being made up front and made payments for employees and businesses using existing data held on HMRC’s systems. That included cut-off dates around scheme eligibility and the need for customers to be registered for pay-as-you-earn online or self-assessment.</p><p> </p><p>To further bolster anti-fraud measures on HMRC-delivered COVID-19 support schemes, the Government invested more than £100 million in a Taxpayer Protection Taskforce of more than 1,200 HMRC staff to combat COVID-19-related fraud, which was announced at Spring Budget 2021. This Taskforce is expected to recover between £800 million and £1 billion from fraudulent or incorrect payments during the years 2021-22 and 2022-23. In addition, HMRC has so far stopped or recovered £743 million of overclaimed grants in the year 2020-21.</p><p> </p><p>For local authority administered business grants, local authorities are responsible for ensuring the safe administration of grants and that appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate the increased risks of fraud and payment error. Guidance for the grant schemes requires that local authorities have assurance plans in place which set out the steps they would take to minimise fraud. The Government has mandated pre-payment checks (company and bank account searches) as well as post-event assurance, and a Fraud Risk Assessment, as standard elements of this plan.</p><p> </p><p>Where grants have been paid in error, non-compliantly or to a fraudster, local authorities must seek to recover these funds and return them to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). If local authorities have been unable to reclaim the grant, the case may be referred to BEIS under the Debt Recovery Policy to establish the next steps. Local Authorities are required to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable and practicable steps to reclaim incorrectly paid grant funds.</p><p> </p><p>In respect of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, the Government continues to work closely with the British Business Bank, lenders, and enforcement agencies to tackle fraud and to recover as many fraudulent loans as possible. This is on top of the £2.2 billion worth of fraudulent applications that were prevented by upfront checks.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, as part of the Spring Budget 2021, the Government announced plans to significantly strengthen enforcement activity against fraudulent Bounce Back Loans, including new powers for the Insolvency Service to tackle rogue directors, and investing in the National Investigation Service to investigate serious fraud.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 113292 question first answered 01/02/2022 15:42:29 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1417510

	registered interest
	date	27/01/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what strategy his Department has put in place for recovering fraudulent loans or grants made as part of the covid-19 business support schemes; and if he will publish that strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113292
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2022 answer text <p>The Government has consistently stated that fraud is totally unacceptable, and we are taking action on multiple fronts to recover money lost to error and fraud and, where necessary, taking legal action on those who have sought to exploit the COVID-19 support schemes. It was right to establish the schemes quickly and in a way that they could be accessed easily by the millions who needed support.</p><p> </p><p>Given the unprecedented efforts that the Government has made to protect jobs and livelihoods during this pandemic, it would have been impossible to prevent all related fraud.</p><p> </p><p>In designing the COVID-19 support schemes the Government followed the leading practice of the International Public Sector Fraud Forum on dealing with fraud in an emergency context. The dedicated Government Counter Fraud Function and Centre of Expertise re-prioritised its work to focus on COVID Financial Support schemes. It provided fraud risk assessment support, offered expert counter fraud advice, and created data driven tools to Government departments to help prevent, detect, and recover fraud. The Fraud Function continues to offer post event assurance support to Government departments to find and fight fraud.</p><p> </p><p>Robust measures were put in place to control error and fraud in the key COVID-19 support schemes from their inception. For instance, to minimise the risk of fraud and error and unverified claims, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme were designed in a way to prevent ineligible claims being made up front and made payments for employees and businesses using existing data held on HMRC’s systems. That included cut-off dates around scheme eligibility and the need for customers to be registered for pay-as-you-earn online or self-assessment.</p><p> </p><p>To further bolster anti-fraud measures on HMRC-delivered COVID-19 support schemes, the Government invested more than £100 million in a Taxpayer Protection Taskforce of more than 1,200 HMRC staff to combat COVID-19-related fraud, which was announced at Spring Budget 2021. This Taskforce is expected to recover between £800 million and £1 billion from fraudulent or incorrect payments during the years 2021-22 and 2022-23. In addition, HMRC has so far stopped or recovered £743 million of overclaimed grants in the year 2020-21.</p><p> </p><p>For local authority administered business grants, local authorities are responsible for ensuring the safe administration of grants and that appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate the increased risks of fraud and payment error. Guidance for the grant schemes requires that local authorities have assurance plans in place which set out the steps they would take to minimise fraud. The Government has mandated pre-payment checks (company and bank account searches) as well as post-event assurance, and a Fraud Risk Assessment, as standard elements of this plan.</p><p> </p><p>Where grants have been paid in error, non-compliantly or to a fraudster, local authorities must seek to recover these funds and return them to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). If local authorities have been unable to reclaim the grant, the case may be referred to BEIS under the Debt Recovery Policy to establish the next steps. Local Authorities are required to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable and practicable steps to reclaim incorrectly paid grant funds.</p><p> </p><p>In respect of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, the Government continues to work closely with the British Business Bank, lenders, and enforcement agencies to tackle fraud and to recover as many fraudulent loans as possible. This is on top of the £2.2 billion worth of fraudulent applications that were prevented by upfront checks.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, as part of the Spring Budget 2021, the Government announced plans to significantly strengthen enforcement activity against fraudulent Bounce Back Loans, including new powers for the Insolvency Service to tackle rogue directors, and investing in the National Investigation Service to investigate serious fraud.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 113291 question first answered 01/02/2022 15:42:29 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1417738

	registered interest
	date	28/01/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials in his Department worked on preventing fraud in the coronavirus business support schemes in each month since April 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113840
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2022 answer text <p>HM Treasury takes a flexible and dynamic approach to resourcing to meet Government priorities. We have officials delivering priority work, including on preventing fraud in the COVID-19 business support schemes. However, we do not routinely record the number of civil servants working on individual policy initiatives.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 02/02/2022 12:17:58 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1418790

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions and correspondence his Department has had with the National Crime Agency on fraud in the coronavirus business support schemes in the last three months.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	116080
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2022 answer text <p>HMT officials regularly engage with the National Crime Agency to discuss shared policy interests, such as the response to fraud. This includes through the Economic Crime Strategic Board, through which the government, regulators, law enforcement, and industry discuss and drive forward the UK’s overall response to economic crime. The NCA and the Treasury are also members of a monthly cross-government Counter-Fraud Board on Bounce Back Loans.</p><p> </p><p>The government also continues to work actively with the British Business Bank, lenders, and fraud authorities to recover loans obtained fraudulently. This work has been supported by the Cabinet Office Counter Fraud Function to better identify the level and types of fraud against the scheme.</p><p>We are working with enforcement bodies including the National Investigation Service to investigate the most serious cases of fraud and we have always been clear that anyone who defrauds the scheme is at risk of prosecution. The National Investigation Service have recovered £3.1 million so far.</p><p> </p><p>The NCA is an operationally independent agency and has not been prevented from investigating frauds against the Bounce Back Loans scheme or any other Covid-19 support scheme.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 04/02/2022 14:51:25 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1419231

	registered interest
	date	02/02/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Taxpayer Protection Taskforce
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce became operational.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	117090
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>At Spring Budget 2021, the Government announced a £100 million investment into a Taxpayer Protection Taskforce to significantly extend HMRC’s work to tackle fraud and error in the COVID-19 support schemes that HMRC administered (Self Employment Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Eat Out to Help Out).</p><p> </p><p>The taskforce became operational from April 2021 and HMRC committed around 1,200 full time equivalent staff (FTE) to recovering money paid out to incorrect and fraudulent claims.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Before the taskforce was established, HMRC deployed 500 FTE onto post payment compliance work on the COVID schemes, following Royal Assent of the Finance Act which provided investigatory powers on 22 July 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The taskforce will allow HMRC to undertake at least 30,000 compliance checks in total across three years, up to 2022-23. They are expected to recover around £800 million-£1 billion over two years in addition to the £536 million recovered during 2020-21.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 07/02/2022 16:45:44 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1419233

	registered interest
	date	02/02/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Taxpayer Protection Taskforce
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times he has met with officials from the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce; and on what dates those meetings have taken place.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	117091
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Chancellor regularly meets with officials from teams across HMRC. It has been the practice of successive administrations that the Government does not disclose details of internal meetings.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 07/02/2022 16:10:54 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1419552

	registered interest
	date	03/02/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Fraud
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many enquiries HMRC has made as part of its random enquiry programme to investigate fraud in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; and how much money has been through that programme.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	117910
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2022 answer text <p>HMRC are taking action to tackle fraudulent behaviour. Anyone who keeps grant money despite knowing they were not entitled to it, faces having to repay up to double the amount they received, plus interest, and potentially criminal prosecution.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has invested £100 million in the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce up to 2022-23. They are expected to undertake 30,000 interventions and recover between £800 million and £1 billion.</p><p> </p><p>All claims are risk assessed and considered for further one-to-one intervention where necessary. Along with gaining operational data from completed compliance interventions, HMRC are also conducting a random enquiry programme into Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) claims to test the error and fraud rate in the general population. Cases are selected at random and there may be no obvious risk present.</p><p> </p><p>Random enquiry programmes are a part of the methodology employed by HMRC to develop the estimates of error and fraud. Therefore, providing this data in isolation does not give an accurate representation of compliance efforts on the CJRS.</p><p> </p><p>Data from the random enquiry programme along with details of CJRS compliance interventions will enable HMRC to publish new and updated error and fraud estimates in their Annual Reports and Accounts and accompanying technical note, which is expected in July 2022.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 08/02/2022 12:17:07 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1438481

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Research: Tax Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what most recent estimate HMRC has made of the level of fraud in (a) the Research and Development Expenditure Credit, and (b) the SME R&D relief.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	135690
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2022 answer text 2020-21 is the second financial year where an estimate of the error and fraud in relation to the Research and Development (R&D) regime has been included in the HMRC annual report and accounts. The overall estimate of the level of error and fraud is 3.6 per cent of the estimated cost of the reliefs. Within this, 5.5 per cent relates to the Small and Medium Enterprises scheme and 0.9 per cent relates to the Research and Development expenditure credit scheme. The estimate is based on historic claim data, compliance results, and Tax Gaps, and by its nature is uncertain. This estimate does not differentiate between error and fraud and covers a wide range of non-compliant behaviours. answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 10/03/2022 15:02:11 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1438484

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Research: Tax Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of R&D tax relief advisors operating in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	135691
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2022 answer text <p>Information on the number of Research and Development (R&amp;D) tax relief advisors is not available.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>At Spring Budget 2021, the Government announced a review of R&amp;D tax reliefs supported by a consultation. The consultation closed in June 2021, and at Autumn Budget 2021, the Chancellor announced a package of measures to target abuse and improve compliance. From April 2023, all claims will have to be notified in advance, be made digitally, include more details about the expenditure, be endorsed by a named senior officer of the company, and include details of any agent who has advised the company on the claim.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Therefore, HMRC will have enhanced data on R&amp;D agents from April 2023.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 10/03/2022 15:03:18 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1438487

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Research: Tax Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the number of R&D tax relief advisers operating in the UK who are involved in submitting fraudulent or dubious claims for R&D tax reliefs; and what steps his Department has taken to tackle the activity of those advisers.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	135692
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government is exploring broader options that consider the case for moving further towards statutory regulation of the tax advice market. As announced in November 2021, we will be consulting on this later in the year.</p><p> </p><p>At Spring Budget 2021, the Government announced a review of R&amp;D tax reliefs supported by a consultation. The consultation closed in June 2021, and at Autumn Budget 2021, the Chancellor announced a package of measures to target abuse and improve compliance. From April 2023, all claims will have to be notified in advance, be made digitally, include more details about the expenditure, be endorsed by a named senior officer of the company, and include details of any agent who has advised the company on the claim.</p><p> </p><p>Information regarding the number of R&amp;D tax relief advisers involved in submitting fraudulent or dubious claims is not available. HMRC’s programme of compliance activity addressing this risk posed by abuse of the R&amp;D regimes spans fraudulent behaviour as well as other types of non-compliance, such as error and mistake, and therefore covers a wide range of agents and advisors.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has doubled the resource working on R&amp;D non-compliance, is utilising data and intelligence to improve the risking process, and is undertaking a Mandatory Random Enquiry Programme to improve understanding of the level of error and fraud in the R&amp;D regime.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 10/03/2022 15:13:53 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1438490

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Research: Tax Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full time equivalent HMRC staff have worked on tackling abuse of R&D tax reliefs in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	135693
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2022 answer text <p>HMRC undertakes a wide range of compliance activity in relation to Research and Development (R&amp;D) claims and this work is undertaken across a number of teams, including specialist R&amp;D teams, the Fraud Investigation Service, and teams that also deal with other aspects of Corporation Tax.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The specialist teams who deal with non-compliance in relation to a range of incentives and reliefs, including R&amp;D, Creatives Industries, Venture Capital, Tonnage Tax, and Patent Box, currently have 244.9 full time equivalent team members. There are additional teams who, for example, work on R&amp;D as part of a wider role, such as those within Large Business and Fraud Investigation Service, who are not included in this figure.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information regarding the number of HMRC staff involved specifically in tackling abuse is not available.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 10/03/2022 15:04:35 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare