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1682841

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Inflation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to bring inflation back to the target of two per cent; and when they expect that to be achieved.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL1669
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>Inflation has halved and was lower in Q4 2023 than had been forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in the Autumn. Despite the progress there are four key things the government is doing to reduce it further.</p><p> </p><ul><li>Remaining steadfast in our support for the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England as it takes action to return inflation sustainably to the 2% target.</li><li>Keeping borrowing under control. Borrowing is lower this year and next than it was forecast to be in the Spring and the OBR has forecast that government policies in the Autumn Statement will reduce inflation next year.</li><li>Boosting labour supply. Labour market conditions are a key problem affecting UK businesses’ growth, as well as a significant driver of domestic inflation. Together, the packages at Autumn Statement and Spring Budget 2023 were the two largest increases to labour supply and potential GDP resulting from policy the OBR has ever scored.</li><li>Introducing ambitious supply-side measures to support non-inflationary growth, including delivering full expensing to boost investment.</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 31/01/2024 12:14:36 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1682843

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Blood: Contamination
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when they will announce details of a full and comprehensive scheme for victims of the infected blood scandal; and when they expect the first payments to be made under the new scheme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL1671
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>The Inquiry is expected to publish their final report on 20th May and the Minister for the Cabinet Office has committed to updating Parliament within 25 sitting days of the publication of the final report. The Government is appointing clinical, legal and social care experts to advise the Cabinet Office on detailed technical considerations to make informed choices in responding to the Inquiry’s recommendations on compensation.</p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 31/01/2024 15:57:02 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1682842

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure there is a sufficient and reliable supply of medicines to help patients suffering from ADHD.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL1670
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2024 answer text <p>Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working closely with the respective manufacturers and some issues have now been resolved. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, which should largely resolve by April or May 2024. We have also added ADHD products to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the United Kingdom to protect UK supplies for patients.</p><p>There is a team within the Department that deals specifically with medicine supply problems arising both in the community and in hospitals. It has well-established procedures to manage medicine supply issues, whatever the cause, and help to prevent shortages and minimise risks to patients by working closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, and others operating in the supply chain.</p><p>We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be and we want to assure patients that we are working with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues with ADHD medicine supply in the UK as soon as possible and to help ensure patients are able to access these medicines in the short and long term.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 23/01/2024 15:32:48 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1668141

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2023
	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 what plans they have to increase the threshold for compulsory registration for VAT; and what plans they have to reinstate the policy of annually updating the threshold in line with inflation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL1
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2023 answer text <p>Views on the VAT registration threshold are divided and the case for change has been regularly reviewed over the years.</p><p>In 2018, the Government consulted on how the design of the VAT registration threshold could better incentivise growth. However, there was no clear option for reform.</p><p>While the Government keeps all taxes under review, it was announced at Autumn Budget 2022 that the VAT threshold will be maintained at its current level of £85,000 until 31 March 2026.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 21/11/2023 12:00:13 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1668142

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2023
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Exports: VAT
	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 impact of the withdrawal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme; and if they have any plans to reintroduce the scheme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL2
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2023 answer text <p>The Government’s assessment of the anticipated impact of the withdrawal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme (VAT RES) was set out in the original policy costing note which can be found in the Policy costings document from November 2020 p42-43.</p><p>Government analysis conducted in 2022 found that introducing a worldwide scheme could come at a fiscal cost of around £2 billion each year. This figure consists of the cost from EU and non-EU visitors and is calculated based on methodology signed off and certified by the OBR in 2020.</p><p>Whilst there are no current plans to re-introduce VAT RES, this Government keeps all tax policy under review, and we are very grateful to industry for their contribution to our invitation to provide evidence on this matter.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 21/11/2023 12:28:43 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1668144

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2023
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Training: Tax Allowances
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to regularise the treatment of training expenses against profits subject to Schedule D income tax and profits subject to corporation tax.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL3
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2023 answer text <p>In calculating taxable business profits, expenditure on training to update existing skills would be a deductible business expense when the expenditure is incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the business and is not capital in nature. The treatment of these training expenses is the same irrespective of whether the taxpayer pays income tax or corporation tax.</p><p> </p><p>Any changes to tax policy are a matter for future Budgets and it would not be appropriate to comment on tax measures at this stage of the policy development cycle.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 21/11/2023 13:55:00 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1646136

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2023
	answering body	Department for Business and Trade
	answering dept id	214
	answering dept short name	Business and Trade
	answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
	hansard heading	Small Businesses: Expenditure
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current target for expenditure with small and medium-sized enterprises, directly and indirectly through procurement; and whether they expect to meet it.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL8640
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2023 answer text <p>The Department will be updating our SME Action Plan later this year and it will set an ambition for future spending aligned with our procurement strategy.</p> answering member printed The Earl of Minto question first answered 04/07/2023 17:00:20 answering member 4952 label Biography information for The Earl of Minto
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1645480

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2023
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Mortgages: Government Assistance
	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 Mortgage Crunch report, published by the Resolution Foundation on 17 June; and what plans they have, if any, to assist mortgage holders affected by rising mortgage costs.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL8577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2023 answer text <p>The Government does not set mortgage or interest rates. The Bank Rate - which is one factor that lenders use to set mortgage and retail interest rates - is set by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England, which is independent of Government. Commercial Banks and Building Societies also make other commercial judgements that influence the degree of pass‐through from changes in Bank Rate into mortgage and retail interest rates. The Government does not seek to intervene in these commercial decisions.</p><p> </p><p>However, we recognise this will be a concerning time for mortgage holders, particularly those who are due to come to the end of their existing deal in the immediate future. The Prime Minister has been clear, the best and most important way that we can keep costs and interest rates down for people is to halve inflation, and then return it to the 2% target.</p><p> </p><p>On Friday 23 June the Chancellor met with mortgage lenders, UK Finance and the FCA to discuss a new package of support for those who encounter problems keeping up with their mortgage payments. These commitments include an agreement permitting customers to switch to an interest only mortgage, or extend their mortgage term, for 6 months, after which they can switch back without a new affordability check or it affecting their credit score. Lenders also agreed borrowers won’t have their home repossessed within 12 months from a first missed payment without their consent or unless in exceptional circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>If mortgage holders are concerned about making their mortgage repayment, they must speak to their lender as soon as possible. Contacting them will not affect their credit score.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also already taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 03/07/2023 11:55:24 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1645481

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2023
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many senior civil servants are based for work outside London and the South East and, of those, how many (1) transferred from London and the South East and (2) were recruited locally.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL8578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2023 answer text <p>As at December 2022, the number of Senior Civil Servants (SCS) based outside London and the South East is 2,130 (33.7%) on a full-time equivalent basis (FTE), including around 50 SCS who work overseas in a variety of roles. This data is provisional and subject to routine revisions over time.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Through the Places for Growth Programme, we aim to have 50% of UK-based SCS roles based outside of London by 2030. There have been 316 SCS roles relocated since March 2020, bringing more opportunities for civil servants to progress their careers in the regions and nations of the UK.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We do not hold a breakdown of SCS that have relocated from London and the South East or those that have been recruited into SCS roles locally.</p><p><strong></strong><br><br></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 03/07/2023 11:50:43 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1646137

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Consumer Goods and Food: Prices
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce price controls for food and other consumer products.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	uin	HL8641
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2023 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to introduce price controls for food.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 28/06/2023 14:11:14 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington