Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1677087

registered interest
date	11/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to protect free-to-use ATMs.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	6077
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>The government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups.</p><p> </p><p>The government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. Importantly, in relation to personal current accounts the FCA is required to seek to ensure reasonable provision of free cash access services.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA is currently holding a consultation on its proposed regulatory approach ahead of this coming into effect by Q3 2024: <a href="https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp23-29-access-cash" target="_blank">FCA Access to Cash Consultation</a></p><p> </p><p>LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator. LINK has committed to protect free-to-use ATMs more than one kilometre away from the next nearest free ATM or Post Office, and free access to cash on high streets (where there is a cluster of five or more retailers) that do not have a free-to-use ATM or a Post Office counter within one kilometre.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 19/12/2023 14:32:49 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1675428

registered interest
date	05/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on the potential merits of taking into account the specific needs of local communities when setting minimum cash access standards rather than using geographic criteria.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	5150
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p><strong>T</strong>he government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups.</p><p> </p><p>The government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.</p><p> </p><p>In determining what constitutes reasonable provision, the legislation requires the FCA to have regard to a government policy statement, any local deficiencies in cash access that it has identified and considers to have significant impacts and any other matters as it considers appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>The government published a policy statement earlier this year. This stated that consideration should be taken of the degree to which services meet local needs in relation to both business and personal use. The government’s policy statement is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cash-access-policy-statement/cash-access-policy-statement" target="_blank">Cash Access Policy Statement</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA is currently holding a consultation on its proposed regulatory approach ahead of this coming into effect by Q3 2024.</p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 12/12/2023 17:45:20 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1675182

registered interest
date	04/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Credit Cards: Fees and Charges
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 raising the cap on interchange fees.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	4907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government has previously legislated to ensure that interchange fees remain capped for UK domestic card transactions, where both the card issuer and acquirer are located in the UK, through the Interchange Fee (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. This instrument ensures that the previous EU regulation on interchange fees for card payments continues to operate effectively as direct retained EU law following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. These caps ensure that the cost of card payments is affordable for merchants and acquirers.</p><p> </p><p>The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, repeals retained EU law in financial services, which includes the Interchange Fee Regulation 2015, in order to deliver a Smarter Regulatory Framework. Retained EU law will be repealed and replaced with rules set by our independent and expert regulators, operating within a framework set by government and Parliament. Under this framework, the Payment Systems Regulator will be responsible for any future rules on interchange fees.</p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 07/12/2023 15:53:48 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1674398

registered interest
date	30/11/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Banks: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help prevent the closure of high street banks in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	4617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2023 answer text <p>Decisions on opening and closing branches are taken by the management team of each bank on a commercial basis, with which the Government does not interfere.</p><p> </p><p>Nonetheless, the Government believes that the impact of branch closures should be mitigated where possible so that all customers, wherever they live, continue to have access to appropriate banking services.</p><p> </p><p>The Government supports industry working together to provide alternative banking and cash services, such as Banking Hubs. To date, industry has committed to delivering new shared Banking Hubs in over 100 communities. Further alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework also allows 99% of personal banking and 95% of business customers to deposit cheques, check their balance and withdraw and deposit cash at more than 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to close their branches. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of a planned closure on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This seeks to ensure the implementation of closure decisions is done in a way that treats customers fairly. The Consumer Duty also requires that firms deliver “good outcomes” for customers.</p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 06/12/2023 13:16:50 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1673083

registered interest
date	27/11/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Office for Budget Responsibility: Operating Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the annual operating cost of the Office for Budget Responsibility was in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	3696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2023 answer text <p>The OBR publishes its operating costs annually in its Annual Report and Accounts: <a href="https://obr.uk/topics/governance-and-reporting/#annual" target="_blank">https://obr.uk/topics/governance-and-reporting/ - annual</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 05/12/2023 10:12:39 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1673084

registered interest
date	27/11/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Office for Budget Responsibility: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff were employed by the Office for Budget Responsibility in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	3697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2023 answer text <p>The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was legally formed on 4 April 2011. The OBR publishes numbers of employees annually in its Annual Report and Accounts: <a href="https://obr.uk/topics/governance-and-reporting/#annual" target="_blank">https://obr.uk/topics/governance-and-reporting/ - annual</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 05/12/2023 10:11:18 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1670588

registered interest
date	16/11/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Business Rates: Rural Areas
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 help small businesses in rural areas with increases in business rates.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	2252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2023 answer text <p>Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means around a third of businesses in England (713,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued up to £15,000. This is a tax cut worth over £2.1 billion per year to support the smallest businesses.</p><p> </p><p>Rural Rates Relief (RRR) is also available to businesses in eligible rural areas. Eligibility requirements can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/rural-rate-relief" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/rural-rate-relief</a>.</p><p> </p><p>At Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced a package of changes and tax cuts worth £13.6 billion over the next five years, including a freeze to the business rates multiplier for 2023-24, a tax cut worth £9.3 billion over the next 5 years, meaning all bills are 6% lower than without the freeze.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 21/11/2023 17:53:14 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1660382

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Equality
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were employed by HM Revenue and Customs to work on matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusivity since 2020.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	199275
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2023 answer text <p>Information relating to HMRC’s staffing levels is published each year in its Annual Report and Account. A link to the latest reports is available below:</p><p> </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts" target="_blank">Annual reports and accounts published by HMRC - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></li></ul> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 22/09/2023 07:57:42 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1660113

registered interest
date	12/09/2023
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 people have been prosecuted for fraud relating to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as of 12 September 2023.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	198998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2023 answer text <p>Ongoing criminal investigation activity by HMRC against the covid support schemes has been reported in HMRC’s annual report and accounts 2022-23, which can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023. This ongoing activity has yet to be concluded within the criminal justice system and is subject to those timescales.</p><p>As of 12 September 2023, there has been one prosecution resulting in a conviction for fraud related to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 20/09/2023 09:30:48 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1659461

registered interest
date	11/09/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Politically Exposed Persons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on how many people are listed as Politically Exposed Persons.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	198595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require businesses within the regulated sector (such as banks) to treat individuals who are entrusted with prominent public functions as PEPs. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) provides guidance to businesses within the regulated sector on which customers should be regarded as PEPs under the Money Laundering Regulations, and how a proportionate risk-based based approach to these customers (and their known close associates and family members) should be applied. It is for each business within the regulated sector to decide which of its customers are PEPs, in accordance with this guidance. The Government does not maintain a register of PEPs, and does not hold information on the number of people designated by regulated businesses as PEPs.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA guidance on the treatment of politically exposed persons for anti-money laundering purposes is available at <a href="https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/fg17-6-treatment-politically-exposed-persons-peps-money-laundering" target="_blank">https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/fg17-6-treatment-politically-exposed-persons-peps-money-laundering</a> The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 committed the FCA to conduct a review into financial institutions’ adherence to its guidance on PEPs, and the appropriateness of that guidance. This review is currently underway.</p><p><em> </em></p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 18/09/2023 15:43:31 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes