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1305271

registered interest
date	23/03/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-employment Income Support 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 merits of inviting applications for the fourth grant of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme earlier than mid-April 2021.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	174136
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government announced at Budget 2021 that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September, with a fourth and a final fifth grant.</p><p> </p><p>The Government also announced a significant change in access to the SEISS. Basing the fourth and fifth grants on 2019-20 Self Assessment tax returns means more than 600,000 people are brought into scope who either became self-employed in 2019-20; or were ineligible for previous grants, but now may be eligible for the fourth grant on the basis of submitting their 2019-20 tax return.</p><p> </p><p>Using these returns requires time to deliver, due to the increased population and new data. In order to allow HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) time to process 2019-20 tax returns it has not been possible to invite applications or open the claims service earlier.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals must have submitted their 2019-20 tax return by 2 March to be considered for the SEISS. This date balances access for the vast majority of eligible self-employed individuals, with the duty to protect the taxpayer against fraud as the details of the SEISS grants became public.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC will open the online claims service for the fourth SEISS grant from late April 2021 and expects to notify potentially eligible people of their personal claim date from mid-April.</p><p> </p><p>The SEISS is just one part of a wider package of support for the self-employed, including Restart Grants, the Recovery Loan scheme, business rates relief, and other business support schemes.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 174189 question first answered 13/04/2021 14:26:45 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1274773

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Buildings: VAT
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 merits of reducing the rate of VAT on refurbishment, repair and maintenance of buildings from 20 per cent to five per cent.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	134445
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2021 answer text The Government already maintains a reduced rate of VAT at five per cent, subject to certain conditions, for residential renovations.<p> </p><p>Introducing a zero rate of VAT would come at a significant cost to the Exchequer, estimated at about £4 billion per year, which would have to be balanced by a reduction in public spending, higher borrowing or increased taxation elsewhere. While the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to change the VAT treatment of the repair and renovation of buildings.A</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 134418 question first answered 13/01/2021 15:43:20 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1272342

registered interest
date	17/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-assessment: Coronavirus
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 extending the deadline for submission of tax returns given the varying and continuing covid-19 restrictions throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	131287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2021 answer text <p>The Government has carefully considered the arguments for extending the Self-Assessment filing date from 31 January and has decided on balance not to do so. The January deadline has been in place for many years and changing it could undermine customer understanding and trust in how the Self-Assessment system works. However, the Government recognises that some taxpayers will have difficulty submitting their Self-Assessment return due to the impact COVID-19 has had on their personal or business circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC do not charge penalties for failure to submit a return on time where taxpayers have a reasonable excuse. HMRC’s guidance explains that they will accept the impact of COVID-19 as a reasonable excuse for submitting a return late, provided that taxpayers explain how they were affected and submit the return as soon as they can. More information is available in the HMRC online guidance covering the reasonable excuse provisions.</p><p> </p><p>Once they have submitted their return, taxpayers who are unable to pay all of their Self-Assessment tax due on 31 January can access HMRC’s enhanced Time to Pay arrangements. These allow liabilities of up to £30,000 – increased from £10,000 – to be paid in up to 12 instalments without having to contact HMRC beforehand.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 11/01/2021 13:29:51 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1253315

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Funerals: Pre-payment
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 merits of delaying plans to bring funeral plan providers under the remit of the Funeral Planning Authority in the context of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	117274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The government is committed to strengthening regulation of the pre-paid funeral plan sector. As part of the Budget, and following consultation, the Chancellor announced the government’s intention to legislate to bring pre-paid funeral plan firms within the remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This will ensure that, for the first time, all firms offering pre-paid funeral plans are subject to compulsory and robust regulation.</p><p> </p><p>The government intends to lay the necessary legislation very soon. Once this legislation is made, there will be an implementation period before the new regulatory framework comes fully into force. This will allow time for funeral plan providers and firms which sell plans to take the necessary steps to meet the new regulatory requirements.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 23/11/2020 14:59:10 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1222578

registered interest
date	09/07/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Stamp Duties: Coronavirus
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 applying the Stamp Duty exemption retrospectively for house sales within the agreed thresholds since the start of the (a) covid-19 lockdown and (b) current financial year.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	71783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>To boost the housing market and confidence, the Government has decided to cut Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) by temporarily increasing the nil band rate of SDLT to £500,000. This applies from 8 July 2020 to 31 March 2021.</p><p>Property sales which have not yet been substantially performed will still be eligible to take advantage of the Stamp Duty Holiday.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 14/07/2020 11:38:57 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1192717

registered interest
date	04/05/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Flybe: Air Passenger Duty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much in air passenger duty was outstanding from Flybe when the company entered administration.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	43033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2020 answer text <p>The government takes tax compliance seriously, including recovering any unpaid taxation from companies in administration. However, HMRC has a duty of confidentiality and individual taxpayer information cannot be disclosed.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 11/05/2020 10:22:30 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1189958

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-employment Income Support Scheme
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 merits of including the 2019-20 tax returns of self-employed graduates under the Self-employed Income Support Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	39535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>It has not been possible to include those who began trading after the 2018-19 tax year in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. This was a very difficult decision and it was taken for practical reasons. It is correct that individuals can now submit Income Tax Self Assessment returns for 2019-20, but there would be significant risks for the public purse if the Government relied on these returns for the scheme. HMRC would not be able to distinguish genuine self-employed individuals who started trading in 2019-20 from fake applications by fraudulent operators and organised criminal gangs seeking to exploit the SEISS. The Government cannot expose the tax system to these risks.</p><p> </p><p>However, those who entered self-employment after April 2019 may still be eligible for other support. For example, the self-employed can benefit from the Government’s relaxation of the earnings rules (known as the Minimum Income Floor) in Universal Credit. The SEISS supplements the significant support already announced for UK businesses, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at <a href="http://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/" target="_blank">www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 29/04/2020 15:47:16 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1189959

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Directors
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 merits of giving directors of limited companies capped access to the Self-employed Income Support Scheme of up to £2,500 per month; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	39536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible to claim for 80% of usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The CJRS is available to employers, including personal service companies, and individuals paying themselves a salary through a PAYE scheme are eligible. Where furloughed directors need to carry out particular duties to fulfil the statutory obligations they owe to their company, they may do so provided they do no more than would reasonably be judged necessary for that purpose, i.e. they should not do work of a kind they would carry out in normal circumstances to generate commercial revenue or provides services to or on behalf of their company.</p><p> </p><p>Income from dividends is a return on investment in the company, rather than wages, and is not eligible for support. Under current reporting mechanisms it is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs to distinguish between dividends derived from an individual’s own company and dividends from other sources, and between dividends in lieu of employment income and as returns from other corporate activity. Expanding the scope would require HMRC to collect and verify new information. This would take longer to deliver and put at risk the other schemes which the Government is committed to delivering as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Those who are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme might be able to access the other support Government is providing, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at <a href="http://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/" target="_blank">www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/</a></p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 39451 39711 39783 question first answered 29/04/2020 15:44:16 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1189201

registered interest
date	22/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Health Services: Business Rates
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 merits of including medical service providers within the Expanded Retail Discount Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	38932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England through business rates relief, given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors. Business rates in Northern Ireland are devolved.</p><p> </p><p>A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, such as medical service providers, has also been made available. For example, the Government has launched the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment, and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank. The Government is also deferring VAT payments for this quarter.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 38997 question first answered 27/04/2020 08:34:25 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1186806

registered interest
date	20/03/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Stocks and Shares: Foreign Companies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to prevent foreign companies and hedge funds benefiting from the fall in share prices of British companies by purchasing shares at a cheaper cost.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
uin	32686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2020 answer text <p>This question likely refers to the practise of short selling. We are working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to monitor the volatility in market prices over the past weeks as a result of the impacts of coronavirus (Covid-19).</p><p> </p><p>On Monday 23 March, the FCA stated that aggregate net short selling activity reported to it had been low as a percentage of total market activity and had decreased in recent days. The FCA also stated that there is no evidence that short selling has been the driver of recent market falls. The FCA is continuing to monitor short selling activity closely.</p><p> </p><p>Some European countries have introduced short selling bans, which the FCA has followed in respect of shares for which relevant European National Competent Authorities (NCAs) are responsible. The FCA has not introduced such a ban in the UK​ ​and neither has any other major financial market outside the EU, including the United States. It is our view that there should be a high bar to imposing such a ban in the UK given the ​role short selling can ​play in the maintenance of open and liquid markets. This is, however, an evolving situation and we are continually evaluating our approach to ensure it is the right one for consumers.</p><p> </p><p>Significant research has previously been done to examine whether bans on short selling, such as those enforced during the financial crisis in 2008, can be effective in stopping stock market falls. The evidence suggested that they were not – pricing continued to fall and so the volatility of the markets persisted.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 25/03/2020 14:41:30 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson