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1490742

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Carers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the cost of living support offered to carers within the armed forces community.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	39995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2022 answer text <p>The government values the vital contribution made by carers to society and continues to provide financial support to unpaid carers – including members of the Armed Forces community – through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit and through other benefits. Carers within the Armed Forces community have access to various channels of government support. Carers may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance if the person for whom they care receives disability benefits or related qualifying payments such as Armed Forces Independence Payment and the War Pension Constant Attendance Allowance.</p><p>The government understands that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and particularly to the most vulnerable members of society such as disabled people and their carers. That is why the Cost of Living package announced on 26 May includes UK-wide support to help disabled people with the particular extra costs they are facing, with 6 million people who receive non-means-tested disability benefits due to receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. Veterans in receipt of a disability benefit through the Department for Work and Pensions, such as Personal Independence Payment, or in receipt of similar support specifically for veterans – such as Armed Forces Independence Payment, the War Pension Mobility Supplement or War Pension Constant Attendance Allowance – are eligible for the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment. Carers of these veterans will also benefit from this payment if they live in the same household.</p><p>Carers may also be able to benefit from other elements of the £37 billion of support for the cost of living the government has announced this year, which include: a one-off Cost of Living Payment of £650, paid in two instalments, for over 8 million households across the UK in receipt of means-tested benefits; an extra one-off £300 this year for over 8 million pensioner households, to cover the rising cost of energy this winter; and £400 off the bills of all domestic electricity customers in Great Britain from October, through the expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS).</p><p>Previously announced measures to help people tackle the cost of living will also benefit carers, including frozen alcohol duty and fuel duty, raising the NICs threshold, council tax rebates and the rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour. For people that are not eligible for Cost of Living Payments or for those that still need additional support, the government is providing an extra £500 million of local support, via the Household Support Fund. The Fund will be extended from this October to March 2023, bringing total funding for the scheme to £1.5 billion.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke grouped question UIN 39996 question first answered 26/07/2022 09:21:42 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1490743

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Carers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that carers within the armed forces community are supported when faced with an increased cost of living.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	39996
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2022 answer text <p>The government values the vital contribution made by carers to society and continues to provide financial support to unpaid carers – including members of the Armed Forces community – through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit and through other benefits. Carers within the Armed Forces community have access to various channels of government support. Carers may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance if the person for whom they care receives disability benefits or related qualifying payments such as Armed Forces Independence Payment and the War Pension Constant Attendance Allowance.</p><p>The government understands that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and particularly to the most vulnerable members of society such as disabled people and their carers. That is why the Cost of Living package announced on 26 May includes UK-wide support to help disabled people with the particular extra costs they are facing, with 6 million people who receive non-means-tested disability benefits due to receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. Veterans in receipt of a disability benefit through the Department for Work and Pensions, such as Personal Independence Payment, or in receipt of similar support specifically for veterans – such as Armed Forces Independence Payment, the War Pension Mobility Supplement or War Pension Constant Attendance Allowance – are eligible for the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment. Carers of these veterans will also benefit from this payment if they live in the same household.</p><p>Carers may also be able to benefit from other elements of the £37 billion of support for the cost of living the government has announced this year, which include: a one-off Cost of Living Payment of £650, paid in two instalments, for over 8 million households across the UK in receipt of means-tested benefits; an extra one-off £300 this year for over 8 million pensioner households, to cover the rising cost of energy this winter; and £400 off the bills of all domestic electricity customers in Great Britain from October, through the expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS).</p><p>Previously announced measures to help people tackle the cost of living will also benefit carers, including frozen alcohol duty and fuel duty, raising the NICs threshold, council tax rebates and the rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour. For people that are not eligible for Cost of Living Payments or for those that still need additional support, the government is providing an extra £500 million of local support, via the Household Support Fund. The Fund will be extended from this October to March 2023, bringing total funding for the scheme to £1.5 billion.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke grouped question UIN 39995 question first answered 26/07/2022 09:21:42 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1490786

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Debts: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much Ukraine owes to the UK in (a) public and (b) private debt.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	40000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Ukraine’s total debt stock to the UK government is £21.09 million as reported on the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1046401/ukef_g20_oct-21_to_dec-21.csv/preview" target="_blank">UK government website</a>. UK private holdings of Ukrainian debt securities amounted to USD$1.43 billion in June 2021 according to the most recently available IMF data. This accounted for 5.5% of the total value of foreign-owned Ukrainian debt securities, as reported by <a href="https://data.imf.org/?sk=B981B4E3-4E58-467E-9B90-9DE0C3367363&amp;sId=1481577756129" target="_blank">IMF’s Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey</a>. As bonds are tradable instruments, holders can fluctuate on a regular basis.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Richard Fuller question first answered 05/09/2022 07:07:06 answering member 3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1467167

registered interest
date	01/06/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cost of Living Payments: Second Homes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the additional cost of living support he announced on 26 May 2022 will apply to (a) second homes and (b) holiday lets.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	11863
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government is providing over £15bn of additional support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package builds on the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is helping all domestic electricity customers in Great Britain to cope with the impact of higher energy bills, with £400 off their bills from October through the expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS). This is a doubling of the £200 of support announced in February, and there will no longer be any repayments.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s intention is for EBSS to reach as many households as possible, while minimising the administrative complexity of the scheme. BEIS has consulted on the basis of paying EBSS via all domestic electricity meter points. A small number of households have multiple meter points – for example, some households have a second home or second meter points in their garage. The Government does not expect this to be a widespread issue.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 13/06/2022 14:00:36 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1457489

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Military Aid: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money he has allocated for military support for Ukraine as of 14 April 2022.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	154372
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>UK military and economic assistance to Ukraine is longstanding. The UK has been in the vanguard in supplying military aid to Ukraine during the current conflict, providing a package worth over £450 million in lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine, including thousands of anti-tank weapons, air defence systems, helmets, body armour, and night vision goggles.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we are providing export financing to enhance Ukrainian naval capabilities, and since 2014 have invested in building Ukrainian military capacity, including training thousands of Ukrainian troops.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 25/04/2022 13:13:06 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1457722

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Health and Social Care Levy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money HM Treasury will receive this year from the National Insurance increase in financial year 2022-23; and how much funding will be allocated to the (a) NHS and (b) care sector from that rise in that year.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	154373
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>In 2022-23, the Health and Social Care Levy takes the form of an increase to National Insurance contributions. The most recent estimate of the net yield from this increase is £12.7 billion, which was published in Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021.</p><p> </p><p>A population share of receipts from the 2022-23 increase will go to the NHS or equivalent in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as with the existing NHS National Insurance contributions allocation.</p><p> </p><p>Funding for Health and Social Care over the next three years was confirmed at Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 25/04/2022 16:42:20 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1435599

registered interest
date	25/02/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Welfare Tax Credits: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many UK residents who were trapped in Afghanistan for longer than 12 weeks in 2021 subsequently had their tax credits claims ended.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	129883
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government is aware of fewer than five cases where a UK resident travelled to Afghanistan and did not return to the UK within the 12-week time limit for temporary absences from the UK as set out in the tax credits legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Under the tax credits legislation, HMRC can only pay customers who are temporarily absent from the UK for up to a maximum of 12 weeks. When the end of the relevant period has been reached, claims are terminated, regardless of the circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Where a tax credit claim is terminated because the customer does not meet the conditions for presence in the UK, the customer can apply for other means of support, such as Universal Credit, on their return to the UK.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 129884 129885 question first answered 03/03/2022 15:20:47 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1435600

registered interest
date	25/02/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Welfare Tax Credits: British Nationals Abroad
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 financial impact on families who were trapped in in Afghanistan for longer than 12 weeks in 2021 of the suspension of their claims for tax credits.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	129884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government is aware of fewer than five cases where a UK resident travelled to Afghanistan and did not return to the UK within the 12-week time limit for temporary absences from the UK as set out in the tax credits legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Under the tax credits legislation, HMRC can only pay customers who are temporarily absent from the UK for up to a maximum of 12 weeks. When the end of the relevant period has been reached, claims are terminated, regardless of the circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Where a tax credit claim is terminated because the customer does not meet the conditions for presence in the UK, the customer can apply for other means of support, such as Universal Credit, on their return to the UK.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 129883 129885 question first answered 03/03/2022 15:20:47 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1435602

registered interest
date	25/02/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Welfare Tax Credits: British Nationals Abroad
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 introducing an exception to the termination of tax credit applications due to absence in the event that the applicant was not able to safely return to the UK from Afghanistan.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	129885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government is aware of fewer than five cases where a UK resident travelled to Afghanistan and did not return to the UK within the 12-week time limit for temporary absences from the UK as set out in the tax credits legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Under the tax credits legislation, HMRC can only pay customers who are temporarily absent from the UK for up to a maximum of 12 weeks. When the end of the relevant period has been reached, claims are terminated, regardless of the circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Where a tax credit claim is terminated because the customer does not meet the conditions for presence in the UK, the customer can apply for other means of support, such as Universal Credit, on their return to the UK.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 129883 129884 question first answered 03/03/2022 15:20:47 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1403433

registered interest
date	17/01/2022
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 estimate he has made of the proportion of the £4.3 billion fraudulently claimed through covid-19 support payments which is yet to be recovered which comes from debt in (a) Plymouth, (b) Devon and (c) Cornwall.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	105724
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2022 answer text <p>HMRC’s estimate for the amount lost to fraud and error in the schemes during 2020- 21 is 8.7 per cent in Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), 2.5 per cent in Self-Employment Income Support Scheme phases 1-3, and 8.5 per cent in the Eat Out to Help Out (EOHO) scheme. This equates to £5.8 billion, against a spend of £81.2 billion.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC prioritised getting money to those who needed it with the schemes designed to minimise fraud while not unnecessarily delaying payments. The schemes were designed to prevent fraud, both in the eligibility criteria and the claim process itself. However, they could still be attractive to fraudsters.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure quick payment, HMRC undertook pre-payment risk assessments of 22 million claims (£93 billion) within 72 hours of receipt, blocking those indicating criminal activity.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have taken a supportive and reasonable approach where mistakes have been made, giving customers the opportunity to correct them without fear of sanctions. By law, claimants can notify and amend incorrect claims within 90 days without penalty. An online system to help people correct mistakes was set up and all claims are risk assessed and considered for post payment checks. HMRC look at a variety of factors, including comparing the claims to historic data (e.g. pre-pandemic payroll data), third party information, and other intelligence, like Fraud Hotline calls. HMRC have also compared claims made to different support schemes to identify where they might want to ask more questions, such as in the case of a restaurant who had furloughed all their staff under CJRS but were also claiming under the EOHO scheme.</p><p> </p><p>Claims HMRC think are higher risk, or appear more complex, are selected for “One-to-One” intervention (OTO). Lower or less complex risk claims are considered for “One-to-Many” (OTM) Campaigns.</p><p> </p><p>OTM are written campaigns to address simpler risks. The same communication is sent to up to tens of thousands of customers. HMRC are clear with what they are asking, where to get support, and how to put it right. They also ensure there is follow up if customers do not respond to the OTM approach.</p><p> </p><p>OTO interventions are direct enquiries by experienced compliance officers for more complex risks.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC are taking tough action to tackle fraudulent behaviour. Anyone who keeps money despite knowing they were not entitled to it, faces repaying up to double the amount, plus interest and potentially criminal prosecution in serious cases.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC established the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce, which is estimated to recover approximately £800 million to £1 billion in the two years to 2022-23, on top of around £500 million which was recovered in 2020-21. HMRC will continue to address fraud and error in the schemes beyond the duration of the taskforce.</p><p> </p><p>For COVID-19 schemes, compliance checks are carried out when HMRC suspects there has been an overpayment of the claim, which may be due to either error or fraud. This work is still ongoing and therefore HMRC cannot say what proportion of any amount that is fraudulently claimed will be from businesses based in Plymouth, Devon, and Cornwall.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 25/01/2022 15:54:40 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard