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1505183

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Azure Services: Loans
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that customers of Azure Services Ltd who were impacted by the mis-selling of loans for timeshares at the Golden Sands Resort in Malta are able to access financial redress.
	tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
	tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
	uin	47726
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been established as an independent regulator responsible for the supervision and regulation of conduct in financial services. The FCA’s independence from Government does not mean it can act arbitrarily, rather it must operate within the framework of statutory duties and powers agreed by Parliament. As well as being required to operate within this framework, the FCA is fully accountable to Parliament for how it discharges its statutory functions.</p><p> </p><p>This direct accountability to Parliament reflects the FCA’s statutory independence and the fact that it is solely responsible for everyday operational decisions without Government approval or direction, and so it is primarily accountable for them. The Government has no plans to support a cross-party parliamentary investigation into the FCA’s handling of issues relating to Azure Services Limited, as this would be a matter for Parliament. That notwithstanding, the Treasury plays an important role in holding the FCA accountable, including through engaging closely with the FCA across all levels of seniority.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the impact on consumers as a result of Azure Services’ business practices whilst it operated as a credit broker without the relevant Office of Fair Trading (OFT) licence and, later on, FCA authorisation. However, the Government notes the decision by Barclays Partner Finance to refund over £210m to customers who took out a loan following an introduction by Azure Services. Barclays Partner Finance is currently putting in place the necessary arrangements for this programme of remediation and has committed to contact impacted customers before the end of the year to set out the next steps.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Alan Mak grouped question UIN 47574 question first answered 08/09/2022 09:49:10 answering member 4484 label Biography information for Alan Mak
	tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1505158

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Azure Services: Loans
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to support a cross-party investigation into the Financial Conduct Authority's handling of the mis-selling of timeshares by Azure Services Limited.
	tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
	tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
	uin	47574
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been established as an independent regulator responsible for the supervision and regulation of conduct in financial services. The FCA’s independence from Government does not mean it can act arbitrarily, rather it must operate within the framework of statutory duties and powers agreed by Parliament. As well as being required to operate within this framework, the FCA is fully accountable to Parliament for how it discharges its statutory functions.</p><p> </p><p>This direct accountability to Parliament reflects the FCA’s statutory independence and the fact that it is solely responsible for everyday operational decisions without Government approval or direction, and so it is primarily accountable for them. The Government has no plans to support a cross-party parliamentary investigation into the FCA’s handling of issues relating to Azure Services Limited, as this would be a matter for Parliament. That notwithstanding, the Treasury plays an important role in holding the FCA accountable, including through engaging closely with the FCA across all levels of seniority.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the impact on consumers as a result of Azure Services’ business practices whilst it operated as a credit broker without the relevant Office of Fair Trading (OFT) licence and, later on, FCA authorisation. However, the Government notes the decision by Barclays Partner Finance to refund over £210m to customers who took out a loan following an introduction by Azure Services. Barclays Partner Finance is currently putting in place the necessary arrangements for this programme of remediation and has committed to contact impacted customers before the end of the year to set out the next steps.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Alan Mak grouped question UIN 47726 question first answered 08/09/2022 09:49:10 answering member 4484 label Biography information for Alan Mak
	tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1504880

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Religious Buildings: Energy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he will take steps to provide funding to places of worship to support with rising energy costs.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	47590
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government recognises the vital role played by places of worship in our communities. Today the PM announced that the Government will introduce a six-month scheme to support businesses, charities and public sector organisations including places of worship that are registered charities. This will protect them from soaring energy costs and provide them with the certainty they need to plan their business through the acute crisis this winter.</p><p>The Government has also continued to fund the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which gives grants that cover the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings in use as places of worship, and recently renewed the Churches Conservation Trust funding order up to 2025. Places of worship that are registered charities were also able to benefit from the unprecedented multi-billion-pound package of support for Britain's charities that the Government provided during the pandemic, including £750 million of dedicated funding that helped more than 15,000 organizations across the country respond to the impact of Covid-19.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 08/09/2022 16:50:09 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1504805

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sunscreens: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason high factor sunscreen products currently incur VAT.
	tabling member constituency	East Dunbartonshire
	tabling member printed	Amy Callaghan
	uin	47675
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.</p><p> </p><p>Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.</p><p> </p><p>More widely, the Government’s approach to this matter is to support safety campaigns that ensure that sunscreen is placed within its proper context; as one of the precautions that people can take against the harmful rays of the sun, but one that does not provide 100 per cent protection. Advice from leading cancer charities recommends a range of steps people can take for protection, which includes avoiding long periods of exposure, staying in the shade at peak hours, and protecting themselves with a hat and sunglasses.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 47673 47674 question first answered 08/09/2022 12:46:28 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4770 label Biography information for Amy Callaghan

1504804

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sunscreens: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department last made an assessment of the adequacy of the level of VAT on sunscreen products.
	tabling member constituency	East Dunbartonshire
	tabling member printed	Amy Callaghan
	uin	47674
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.</p><p> </p><p>Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.</p><p> </p><p>More widely, the Government’s approach to this matter is to support safety campaigns that ensure that sunscreen is placed within its proper context; as one of the precautions that people can take against the harmful rays of the sun, but one that does not provide 100 per cent protection. Advice from leading cancer charities recommends a range of steps people can take for protection, which includes avoiding long periods of exposure, staying in the shade at peak hours, and protecting themselves with a hat and sunglasses.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 47673 47675 question first answered 08/09/2022 12:46:28 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4770 label Biography information for Amy Callaghan

1504803

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sunscreens: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the rate of VAT on sunscreen, sunblock and other sun safety products.
	tabling member constituency	East Dunbartonshire
	tabling member printed	Amy Callaghan
	uin	47673
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.</p><p> </p><p>Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.</p><p> </p><p>More widely, the Government’s approach to this matter is to support safety campaigns that ensure that sunscreen is placed within its proper context; as one of the precautions that people can take against the harmful rays of the sun, but one that does not provide 100 per cent protection. Advice from leading cancer charities recommends a range of steps people can take for protection, which includes avoiding long periods of exposure, staying in the shade at peak hours, and protecting themselves with a hat and sunglasses.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 47674 47675 question first answered 08/09/2022 12:46:28 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4770 label Biography information for Amy Callaghan