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829794

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Employment: Parents
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to encourage employers as a result of the closure of the Employer Supported Childcare vouchers scheme to engage with and support employees who are parents.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne North
tabling member printed	Catherine McKinnell
uin	124578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government is investing a record amount on childcare support – around £6 billion per annum. It is important that that investment is properly targeted. Tax-Free Childcare targets support at those parents with the highest childcare costs, which is usually those with younger children. We recognise the additional childcare costs for parents of children with disabilities so they can continue to receive Tax-Free Childcare until the child is 17.</p><p> </p><p>Tax-Free Childcare is designed to be fairer and better targeted than childcare vouchers. We estimate that 1.5 million families will be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare, and have childcare costs, whilst there are 600,000 families currently receiving childcare vouchers. This means we estimate that TFC potentially supports 900k more families with the cost of childcare.</p><p> </p><p>We have been gradually rolling out Tax-Free Childcare and over 170,000 parents now have a Tax-Free Childcare account. From 14 February 2017 all eligible parents will be able to apply. Having put in place service improvements we have started marketing activity to encourage more parents to take up the support they are entitled to.</p><p> </p><p>For the number of self-employed parents using Tax-Free Childcare I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave on 29 November 2017 to the honourable member for Batley and Spen (116593). An estimate of the number of applications we expect from self-employed parents is not available.</p><p> </p><p>The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare is an opportunity for all employers to engage with working parents, not just the minority who offer childcare vouchers. HMRC are working with employers so that they understand, and can advise their employees about, the benefits of Tax-Free Childcare.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 124788 124790 124793 124795 question first answered 29/01/2018 14:42:21 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell

829819

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will commission a distributional impact assessment of his Department’s policy to close childcare vouchers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	124596
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>We believe it is right to support those on middle incomes, as well as those on lower incomes, with the cost of childcare. Whilst those on lower incomes will be able to access more generous support through tax credits or universal credit, both Employer-supported Childcare and Tax-free Childcare benefit those on middle and higher incomes, who are not in receipt of universal credit but may still find it difficult to manage the cost of childcare.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 124597 question first answered 29/01/2018 17:25:05 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

829820

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative estimate he has made of the number of families who will receive support under (a) tax-free childcare and (b) childcare vouchers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	124597
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>We believe it is right to support those on middle incomes, as well as those on lower incomes, with the cost of childcare. Whilst those on lower incomes will be able to access more generous support through tax credits or universal credit, both Employer-supported Childcare and Tax-free Childcare benefit those on middle and higher incomes, who are not in receipt of universal credit but may still find it difficult to manage the cost of childcare.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 124596 question first answered 29/01/2018 17:25:05 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

829829

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will conduct an assessment of the effect of RBS bank branch closures on free access to cash in Scotland; and what discussions he has had with the Payment Systems Regulator on potential intervention with respect to a reduction in the availability of free access to cash.
tabling member constituency	Dundee East
tabling member printed	Stewart Hosie
uin	124603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government does not make assessments of bank branch closures. The decision to open or close a branch is a commercial decision, in which the Government does not intervene. However, the impact on communities must be understood, considered and mitigated where possible. That is why the Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard, which ensures customers understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. The Government has been engaging regularly with LINK and the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) to ensure that widespread free access is maintained.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR, which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR has informed us that it is committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.</p><p> </p><p>LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation, where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen grouped question UIN 124644 124645 question first answered 29/01/2018 17:13:29 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	1514 label Biography information for Stewart Hosie

829883

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Treasury: Chief Scientific Advisers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings he had with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 October and 31 December 2017.
tabling member constituency	North Norfolk
tabling member printed	Norman Lamb
uin	124641
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2018 answer text <p>The Chancellor has yet to meet with the interim Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA), but he and the Chief Secretary both met with the previous GCSA and look forward to meeting with the new GCSA in due course after their appointment.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 01/02/2018 11:55:26 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb

829887

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Royal Bank of Scotland: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will write to RBS to ask whether it plans to provide ATMs and community banking services in respect of branch closures in Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
uin	124644
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government does not make assessments of bank branch closures. The decision to open or close a branch is a commercial decision, in which the Government does not intervene. However, the impact on communities must be understood, considered and mitigated where possible. That is why the Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard, which ensures customers understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. The Government has been engaging regularly with LINK and the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) to ensure that widespread free access is maintained.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR, which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR has informed us that it is committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.</p><p> </p><p>LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation, where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen grouped question UIN 124603 124645 question first answered 29/01/2018 17:13:29 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

829889

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a) the Payment Systems Regulator and (b) LINK on free to use ATMs in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
uin	124645
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government does not make assessments of bank branch closures. The decision to open or close a branch is a commercial decision, in which the Government does not intervene. However, the impact on communities must be understood, considered and mitigated where possible. That is why the Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard, which ensures customers understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. The Government has been engaging regularly with LINK and the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) to ensure that widespread free access is maintained.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR, which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR has informed us that it is committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.</p><p> </p><p>LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation, where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen grouped question UIN 124603 124644 question first answered 29/01/2018 17:13:29 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

829917

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Childcare Vouchers: Barnsley East
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claimants of childcare vouchers there were in Barnsley East constituency in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	124665
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 2017 to the Honourable Member for Hull North (123405).</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 124666 question first answered 30/01/2018 15:15:59 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

829918

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in Barnsley East constituency who will take up the tax-free childcare service.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	124666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 2017 to the Honourable Member for Hull North (123405).</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 124665 question first answered 30/01/2018 15:16:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

829966

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Treasury: Public Expenditure
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	124700
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>HM Treasury does not own, pay for or insure any art in the building it occupies at 1 Horse Guard’s Road. Art that is displayed throughout the building is rented from the Government Art Collection at nil cost.</p><p> </p><p>Wine is not purchased independently but included within catering expenditure on hospitality. It is not possible to identify the cost of wine within amounts paid and accrued for hospitality catering.</p><p> </p><p>The breakdown of the core department’s hospitality costs for the last seven years can be found in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Financial year</p></td><td><p>Hospitality</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£14,453</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£6,224</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>£12,568</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>£8,994</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>£24,133</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>£10,023</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18*</p></td><td><p>£3,702</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*the 2017-18 costs reflect amounts paid and accrued in the financial year to date.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 30/01/2018 14:31:59 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders