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1551983

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Climate Change: Government Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor for the Exchequer, whether he will commit to bringing forward a support package for local authorities to be able to adapt and protect communities against the impacts of climate change.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	111590
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The 2023-24 Local Government Finance Settlement provides an increase in Core Spending Power for local authorities of around 9%, making available almost £5 billion in additional funding, demonstrating how Government stands behind councils up and down the country. As democratically elected organisations, local authorities are responsible for managing their budgets and making spending decisions that reflect their priorities.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is responsible for stewardship of the local government system and is committed to ensuring that funding allocations for councils are based on an up-to-date assessment of their needs and resources.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 21/12/2022 09:02:47 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1551984

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Carbon Emissions: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to incorporate lessons learned from the recent UK Investment Bank local lending pilots into government policy on financing Net Zero.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	111591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) has a mandate to tackle climate change and support regional and local economic growth across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>UKIB has launched three pilot programmes with Transport for Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and Bristol City Council to support the development of its Local Authority Advisory Function. UKIB has processes in place to regularly review progress on these pilots and identify replicable elements of these projects, with a view to disseminating this knowledge to a wider pool of local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>The Bank is operationally independent but has developed an open dialogue with both HM Treasury and BEIS, including sharing their experiences of the development of their advisory and local lending functions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In the first Strategic Steer to UKIB published in March of this year, the then-Chancellor set expectations that the UKIB should work constructively with government and institutions in each nation of the UK to maximise the impact of its investments and to develop a nuanced understanding of market characteristics, so investments can be targeted appropriately.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 21/12/2022 10:33:58 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1552058

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	UK Trade with EU
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Article 103 of UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, what assessment he has made of the steps taken by the European Union to reduce the time and costs for (a) all businesses and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises since that agreement came into effect.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	111510
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The Government is committed to growing the UK’s economy by making the most of our Brexit freedoms to boost UK businesses, which is why the Government is aiming to cut £1 billion of red tape for UK businesses and ease regulatory burdens.</p><p>The Government has provided approximately £8.4 million to UK Businesses through the SME Brexit Support Fund. This has enabled over 4,100 businesses to pay for practical support to adjust to new customs and VAT rules when trading with the EU. All businesses can get answers to practical questions about exporting to Europe by accessing the Government’s Export Support Service via GOV.UK.</p><p>The UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) provides for a range of customs cooperation between the UK and EU, including on simplifying and modernising our customs procedures, facilitating transit movements, and ensuring that traders are clear on how to move goods smoothly between our respective borders. UK officials across departments regularly meet traders to solicit feedback and, where businesses are facing customs barriers when exporting the EU, these are raised with EU counterparts under established channels.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 21/12/2022 09:16:00 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1552084

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Property: Investment Trusts
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 cost to the public purse of real estate investment trusts in each of the last six financial years.
tabling member constituency	Ealing North
tabling member printed	James Murray
uin	111736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>An estimate of the cost of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) tax relief is not available.</p><p> </p><p>While a REIT is exempt from corporation tax on the income and gains of its property rental business, it is subject to a requirement to distribute its income to its investors, and these distributions are subject to a withholding tax. For UK investors these distributions are taxable as profits of a UK property rental business.</p><p> </p><p>The regime collects the appropriate tax from the investors rather than the REIT and, as a result, there is no comparison between the taxation of a REIT and a standard UK company.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 09/01/2023 13:51:38 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4797 label Biography information for James Murray

1552085

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Property: Investment Trusts
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 cost to the public purse of the Real Estate Investment Trust tax relief for UK single company Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and REIT groups within the (a) FTSE 100 index and (b) FTSE 250 index in each of the last six financial years.
tabling member constituency	Ealing North
tabling member printed	James Murray
uin	111737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>An estimate of the cost of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) tax relief is not available in these ways.</p><p> </p><p>While a REIT is exempt from corporation tax on the income and gains of its property rental business, it is subject to a requirement to distribute its income to its investors, and these distributions are subject to a withholding tax. For UK investors these distributions are taxable as profits of a UK property rental business.</p><p> </p><p>The regime collects the appropriate tax from the investors rather than the REIT and, as a result, there is no comparison between the taxation of a REIT and a standard UK company.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 09/01/2023 13:49:38 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4797 label Biography information for James Murray

1552178

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Tobacco: Taxation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of introducing a polluter pays levy on the tobacco industry.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Paul Girvan
uin	111506
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The Chancellor regularly engages with his Cabinet colleagues and stakeholders on a range of issues.</p><p> </p><p>The Treasury has previously carried out a consultation on introducing a levy on tobacco manufacturers and importers and published its response in September 2015. It is available at the following link: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464795/PU1814_Tobacco_Levy_final_v3.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464795/PU1814_Tobacco_Levy_final_v3.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>Following the consultation, the Government decided not to introduce a tobacco levy. However, all taxes are kept under constant review.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 21/12/2022 10:40:38 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4633 label Biography information for Paul Girvan

1552179

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Deposit Return Schemes: VAT
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 the VAT rates of deposit return schemes operated in non-UK countries.
tabling member constituency	Swansea West
tabling member printed	Geraint Davies
uin	111507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2022 answer text <p>The precise operation of the schemes varies from country to country.</p><p>HMRC and HMT have contacted a number of other countries regarding their drink deposit return schemes. All of these countries operate their deposit return scheme differently and as such there is a variety of approaches in how they go about accounting for VAT on their schemes. Some countries charge VAT on the deposit at the same rate as the drink itself and others treat the deposit as outside the scope of VAT.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 20/12/2022 15:33:53 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	155 label Biography information for Geraint Davies

1552224

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	VAT: Registration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Harlech on 14 December (HL3897), what proportion of VAT registration applications received in (1) June, (2) July, (3) August, and (4) September, had been dealt with by 30 November; and what were the equivalent figures in 2021.
tabling member printed	Lord Harris of Haringey
uin	HL4324
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/01/2023 answer text <p>The data requested is not straightforward to provide as HMRC do not report this data internally in the form requested. As such, the information cannot be provided within the timeframe without incurring disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2022 HMRC came under a significant attack from VAT registration fraudsters and we saw the number of registrations being sent to HMRC increase to unprecedented levels.</p><p> </p><p>To deal with this issue a number of measures were urgently put in place to protect genuine customers and to stop the increase in fraudulent activity. These measures entailed additional security checks that meant that some genuine customers were caught in the new processes to ensure the authenticity of the registration being made. HMRC does understand the frustrations from agents and businesses, and are working to ensure all genuine registrations are processed as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC aims to turnaround most VAT registrations within 40 working days and is currently meeting that service level agreement, although some cases do take longer due to additional compliance checks or complexity.</p><p> </p><p>Due to the high numbers of new registrations being submitted to HMRC during the summer, HMRC did not always meet the service standard over that time period.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 04/01/2023 12:21:43 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	2671 label Biography information for Lord Harris of Haringey

1552225

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	VAT: Registration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Harlech on 14 December (HL3897), what representations they have received about the length of time it takes for VAT registrations to be processed.
tabling member printed	Lord Harris of Haringey
uin	HL4325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/01/2023 answer text <p>In July 2022 HMRC came under a significant attack from VAT registration fraudsters and we saw the number of registrations being sent to HMRC increase to unprecedented levels. To deal with this issue a number of measures were urgently put in place to protect genuine customers and to stop the increase in fraudulent activity. These measures entailed additional security checks that meant that some genuine customers were caught in the new processes to ensure the authenticity of the registration being made. HMRC understands the frustrations from agents and businesses and are working to ensure all genuine registrations are processed as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Due to the high numbers of new registrations being submitted to HMRC during the summer, HMRC did not always meet their service standard over that time.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has received representations from individuals and organisations regarding timescales for registering customers for VAT. Where representations are made, HMRC has and will continue to work with individuals and businesses to overcome any challenges they are facing where possible.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC works hard to be open and transparent, particularly with business and agent representative bodies who HMRC meet regularly. HMRC have also, this year, stepped up their transparency by explaining processing times to agents through the HMRC Service Dashboard on GOV.UK.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 04/01/2023 12:20:43 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	2671 label Biography information for Lord Harris of Haringey

1552232

registered interest
date	15/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Rural Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the access to cash in rural areas for (1) vulnerable residents, such as the elderly and infirm, and (2) small businesses.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL4332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The government recognises that while the transition towards digital banking and payments brings many opportunities, cash continues to be used by many people, including those who may be in vulnerable groups, and small business across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has a considerable evidence base on cash provision and use across the UK. Analysis that was published by the FCA in June 2022 shows that, as of the end of 2021, over 95% of the population are within two kilometres of a free-to-use cash access point, such as a free-to-use ATM, bank branch or Post Office branch. Additional breakdowns by category of cash facility and areas are published on the FCA’s website.</p><p> </p><p>The government is currently taking legislation to protect access to cash across the UK through Parliament as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022. The legislation will establish the FCA as the lead regulator for access to cash with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities.</p><p> </p><p>As part of its responsibilities, the FCA will be granted powers to seek to address any local deficiencies in the provision of access to cash facilities that it has identified and considers to be significant. The government’s view is that this will allow for consideration of local circumstances in all parts of the UK. This will result in a regulatory framework that will support the ongoing assessment of cash needs and provision at both a nationwide and local level.</p> answering member printed Lord Harlech grouped question UIN HL4333 question first answered 21/12/2022 15:50:21 answering member 4928 label Biography information for Lord Harlech
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering