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1718756

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Tax Avoidance: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) promoters and (b) operators of schemes subject to the loan charge have been prosecuted.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26769
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2024 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for Putney to the answer given on 8 February 2024 to Question UIN <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-01-31/12466" target="_blank">12466</a>.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 22/05/2024 13:55:29 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718757

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Tax Avoidance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who will need to sell their home to pay the loan charge.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2024 answer text <p>HMRC will not force anyone to sell their main home or access their pension funds early to pay their Loan Charge or disguised remuneration debts.</p><p>Anyone who is concerned about their ability to pay what they owe should contact HMRC as soon as possible. HMRC can agree an affordable and sustainable instalment plan based on taxpayers’ specific circumstances and for as long as they need. HMRC can also refer taxpayers for free debt advice that is independent from HMRC.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 22/05/2024 13:58:50 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718761

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Low Incomes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to help support people on lower incomes.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26773
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government has supported people on lower incomes by increasing working age benefits by 6.7%; raising Local Housing Allowance to the 30<sup>th</sup> percentile of market rents with an average gain of £800, extending the Household Support Fund and increasing the National Living Wage by 9.8%.</p><p> </p><p>The government has also maintained the triple lock, frozen fuel duty, removed Debt Relief Order fees and doubled the Budgeting Advance Loan repayment period.</p><p> </p><p>Over 2022-23 and 2023-24, the government has provided support to help households with the cost of living totalling over £90 billion.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 23/05/2024 16:10:45 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718779

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	National Insurance Contributions and Personal Income: Wellingborough
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data his Department holds on the number of people in Wellingborough constituency who (a) paid national insurance contributions and (b) earned below £25,000 per year in financial year 2022-23.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26814
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2024 answer text <p>The information for the tax year 2022 to 2023 is not yet available.</p><p> </p><p>Table 3.15 of HMRC’s Personal Incomes Statistics contains the latest constituency-level income estimates for the tax year 2021 to 2022.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-and-tax-by-parliamentary-constituency-2010-to-2011" target="_blank">Income and tax by Parliamentary Constituency</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 22/05/2024 14:02:47 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen

1718780

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Shops: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many high street businesses in (a) Wellingborough constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England have closed in each of the last five years; and what plans he has for business rates in the next five years.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Detailed information on the closure of high street business is not held in the form requested. Statistics on company insolvency is available here:</p><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/bulletins/businessdemography/2022" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/bulletins/businessdemography/2022</a></p><p> </p><p>The government is aware that the high street faces long-term challenges and is committed to supporting the businesses that make our high streets and town centres successful.</p><p> </p><p>At Autumn Statement 2023, the government announced a package of business rates support worth £4.3 billion over the next five years to support small businesses and the high street, including extending the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief scheme at 75 per cent, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25.</p><p> </p><p>This support builds on the previous temporary 75 per cent RHL and 50 per cent RHL scheme announced at Autumn Budget 2022 and Autumn Statement 2021 respectively, as well as the unprecedented £16 billion of business rates relief provided to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors throughout the pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>Any future decisions regarding the tax system will be taken in line with the normal Budget process.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Gareth Davies question first answered 23/05/2024 16:47:20 answering member 4850 label Biography information for Gareth Davies
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen

1718782

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Banks: Wellingborough
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 impact of bank closures on access to (a) cash and (b) in-person services in Wellingborough constituency.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Decisions to open or close a branch are commercial and the Government does not make assessments of these closure decisions. Nonetheless, it is imperative that banks and building societies recognise the needs of all their customers, including those who need to use cash or in-person services. The Government is monitoring the wider situation closely.</p><p> </p><p>The Government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to introduce a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must seek to ensure that there is reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities in relation to personal current accounts. Upon the closure of a core cash service such as a bank branch, LINK assesses the community’s access to cash needs. If additional cash services are needed, industry will provide a shared solution such as a Banking Hub.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance from the FCA sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to reduce their physical branches or the number of free-to-use ATMs. The FCA’s guidance is clear that firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, and put in place alternatives, where this is reasonable. Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office or Banking Hubs.</p><p> </p><p>UK Finance have recently confirmed 225 Banking Hubs will be announced by the end of 2024, up from the 130 locations currently confirmed. Furthermore, following my recent discussions with the UK high street banks, participating firms have also committed to improving Hubs by standardising the services available between firms, ensuring that customers will not require their own digital device to bank, trialling a ‘customer liaison service’ and trialling Saturday openings.</p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami grouped question UIN 26817 question first answered 23/05/2024 15:49:50 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen

1718783

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Banks: Northamptonshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of bank branches that have closed in (a) Wellingborough constituency and (b) Northamptonshire in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Decisions to open or close a branch are commercial and the Government does not make assessments of these closure decisions. Nonetheless, it is imperative that banks and building societies recognise the needs of all their customers, including those who need to use cash or in-person services. The Government is monitoring the wider situation closely.</p><p> </p><p>The Government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to introduce a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must seek to ensure that there is reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities in relation to personal current accounts. Upon the closure of a core cash service such as a bank branch, LINK assesses the community’s access to cash needs. If additional cash services are needed, industry will provide a shared solution such as a Banking Hub.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance from the FCA sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to reduce their physical branches or the number of free-to-use ATMs. The FCA’s guidance is clear that firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, and put in place alternatives, where this is reasonable. Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office or Banking Hubs.</p><p> </p><p>UK Finance have recently confirmed 225 Banking Hubs will be announced by the end of 2024, up from the 130 locations currently confirmed. Furthermore, following my recent discussions with the UK high street banks, participating firms have also committed to improving Hubs by standardising the services available between firms, ensuring that customers will not require their own digital device to bank, trialling a ‘customer liaison service’ and trialling Saturday openings.</p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami grouped question UIN 26816 question first answered 23/05/2024 15:49:50 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen

1718784

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Low Incomes: Wellingborough
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help support people on lower incomes in Wellingborough constituency.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Over the previous two years, this government has provided support to help households with the cost of living totalling over £90 billion.</p><p> </p><p>For the coming year, the government has increased working age benefits by 6.7%; maintained the triple lock; raised Local Housing Allowance rates with an average gain of £800, extended the Household Support Fund and increased the National Living Wage by 9.8%. Further actions taken by the government in 2024-25 include: a rise in the National Living Wage (NLW) by 9.8% - ending low hourly pay for workers on the NLW, raising Local Housing Allowance to the 30th percentile of market rents, uprating working-age benefits by 6.7%, freezing fuel duty, removing Debt Relief Order fees, and doubling the Budgeting Advance Loan repayment period.</p><p> </p><p>In rural parts of constituencies like Wellingborough, the government is also providing support through the £110m Rural England Prosperity Fund. This is being invested in projects which boost productivity and create rural job opportunities. This includes farm businesses looking to diversify by opening a farm shop, a wedding venue or tourism facilities or improvements to village halls, pubs and other rural hubs for community uses.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 23/05/2024 16:07:52 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen

1718785

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Wellingborough
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to help ensure free access to cash (a) withdrawal and (b) deposit facilities in Wellingborough constituency.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>In recognition that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable circumstances, the government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. As part of this responsibility, the FCA must also seek to ensure that there is reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities in relation to personal current accounts.</p><p> </p><p>Following this legislation, the government published a Cash Access Policy Statement. This set out that the vast majority of people should be no further than 1 mile from access to cash deposit and withdrawal services in predominately urban areas, and no further than 3 miles in predominately rural areas. The FCA is required to have regard to this statement when exercising its access to cash powers.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA recently held a consultation on its proposed regulatory approach: <a href="https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp23-29-access-cash" target="_blank">FCA Access to Cash Consultation</a>. The FCA is currently considering feedback and expects to publish its final rules in the third quarter of this year.</p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 23/05/2024 15:53:22 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen

1718787

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Mortgages: Interest Rates
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 impact of trends in mortgage interest rates on household disposable income in (a) Wellingborough constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England.
tabling member constituency	Wellingborough
tabling member printed	Gen Kitchen
uin	26820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The path to lower interest rates is through low inflation, and the Government is fully committed to supporting the Bank of England get inflation back down to the 2% target, including by keeping borrowing under control.</p><p> </p><p>Inflation reduces real incomes, creates uncertainty, and threatens our growth outlook so it's essential that the Government continues with its efforts to drive it down and not fuel it further. In January 2023, the Prime Minister set out a plan to halve inflation, and that plan has worked.</p><p> </p><p>While the pricing of mortgages is ultimately a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene, the average offered mortgage rates on 2-year and 5-year fixed rates are now lower compared to their peak in Summer 2023. The Government’s Mortgage Charter - in addition to the significant safeguards already in place - is providing support to vulnerable households; and mortgage arrears and repossessions remain low.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 23/05/2024 15:45:16 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	5011 label Biography information for Gen Kitchen