The Government is committed to supporting small and medium sized businesses and recognises their importance to the economy. Since 2010, the Government has introduced a number of schemes aimed at improving access to finance for businesses, including the creation of the British Business Bank and the introduction of the joint Government and Bank of England Funding for Lending Scheme.<\/p>
<\/p>
Decisions about whether to lend to specific individuals or businesses including the rate of interest charged, remain commercial decisions for banks and building societies.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4262", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Deighton"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Deighton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-23T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average interest rate charged to small and medium-sized enterprises by United Kingdom banks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Barnett"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Barnett"} ], "uin" : "HL6772"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47854", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47854/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Our plans for the future replacement of the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system are that service levels and functionality should be equal to or better than those provided in the current system. This will be a requirement within the \u201cInvitation to Tender\u201d that HMRC issues in respect of the procurement process for a new import and export declaration processing system.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4262", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Deighton"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Deighton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-23T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any guarantee that the current levels of service and functionality provided by the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight System are to be provided in any replacement system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1879", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lucas"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lucas"} ], "uin" : "HL6796"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47744", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47744/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/p>
Changes to beer, cider and wine duty at Budget 2014 help support British pubs. The Government also supports the Scotch whisky industry for the unique role it plays in the UK economy. Freezing the duty on spirits supports the domestic market for the Scotch whisky industry and jobs in Scotland.<\/strong><\/p> <\/strong><\/p> The Government expects that there will be a small increase in alcohol consumption as a result of these changes to alcohol duty at Budget 2014 in both the on-trade \u2013 where alcohol is sold to be consumed on the premises (e.g. pubs, bars, restaurants) \u2013 and for the off-trade \u2013 where alcohol is sold to be consumed off the premises (e.g. supermarkets, off-licences). The tables below provide estimates of changes in consumption in both percentage and volume terms relative to the previous alcohol duty rates policy.<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> Estimated change in consumption (%):<\/strong><\/p> <\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2014-15<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2015-16<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2016-17<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2017-18<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2018-19<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> On-trade<\/strong><\/p><\/td> +0.7%<\/p><\/td> +0.8%<\/p><\/td> +0.8%<\/p><\/td> +0.8%<\/p><\/td> +0.9%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Off-trade<\/strong><\/p><\/td> +0.9%<\/p><\/td> +0.9%<\/p><\/td> +0.9%<\/p><\/td> +0.9%<\/p><\/td> +1.0%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> Estimated change in consumption (thousand hectolitres of alcohol):<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2014-15<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2015-16<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2016-17<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2017-18<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2018-19<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> On-trade<\/strong><\/p><\/td> +13<\/p><\/td> +13<\/p><\/td> +14<\/p><\/td> +15<\/p><\/td> +15<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Off-trade<\/strong><\/p><\/td> +28<\/p><\/td> +29<\/p><\/td> +30<\/p><\/td> +32<\/p><\/td> +33<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> Cider made with at least 35 per cent fruit juice is treated as cider for duty purposes while cider made with less than 35 per cent fruit juice is treated as made wine for duty purposes. As not all cider makers publicly state the proportion of fruit juice in their cider, this question cannot be answered without breaching taxpayer confidentiality.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the industrially produced white cider marketed under the labels Frosty Jack's, Diamond White, White Ace, White Star, White Strike, Three Hammers, Ice Dragon and White Magic respectively meet the minimum juice content required to qualify for lower rates of alcohol duty.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1665", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Avebury"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47755", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/47755/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "