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1727040

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Private Education: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees on children who (a) attend independent schools and (b) do not have an EHCP and (i) are in care, (ii) experience mental ill-health and (iii) have other SEND challenges.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	3993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system</p><p><br> This VAT change will not impact pupils with most acute additional needs where these can only be met in private schools, as determined by an Education and Health Care Plan in England, and equivalent processes in other nations.</p><p> </p><p>Where pupils are placed in a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, and they have their places funded by their Local Authority, the Local Authority will be able to reclaim the VAT they incur on these pupils’ fees. In Northern Ireland, it will be the Education Authority who fund placements in private schools and will be able to reclaim the VAT in this way.</p><p>The government will publish a Tax Information and Impact Note setting out the impacts of the changes, including the equalities impacts, alongside the Finance Bill.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ealing North answering member printed James Murray grouped question UIN 4047 4058 4098 question first answered 09/09/2024 12:33:28 answering member 4797 label Biography information for James Murray
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727041

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Private Education: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a lower rate of VAT on independent schools with lower fees.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	3994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2024 answer text <p>On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boarding services provided by private schools.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will confirm the introduction of these tax policy changes at the Budget on 30 October. Following scrutiny of the Government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, details of the Government’s assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes will be published at the Budget in the usual way.</p><p> </p><p>These changes will apply across the UK. The Barnett formula will continue to apply in the usual way as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.</p> answering member constituency Ealing North answering member printed James Murray grouped question UIN 4099 question first answered 10/09/2024 16:29:37 answering member 4797 label Biography information for James Murray
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1722974

registered interest
date	23/07/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Offshore Industry: North Sea
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her policy is on divesting North Sea oil and gas production.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	1301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/07/2024 answer text <p>The Government is strongly committed to the net zero transition, but it is clear that North Sea oil and gas production will be with us for decades to come. The Government will manage the North Sea in a way that manages existing fields for their lifespan and does not jeopardise jobs, even as we take steps to reduce our reliance.</p><p> </p><p>Transforming the financial sector so that it is aligned with net zero can be supported by companies having a transition plan that is specific to them, detailing how their business will align with net zero. This will support an orderly transition.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hampstead and Highgate answering member printed Tulip Siddiq question first answered 31/07/2024 15:15:13 answering member 4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1650461

registered interest
date	05/07/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Valuation Office Agency
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 improve the transparency of the work of the Valuation Office Agency.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	192656
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2023 answer text <p>Under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the VOA has a duty to maintain a Rating List for each Billing Authority. In doing so, it assesses non-domestic properties to determine the Rateable Value (RV) of each. The RV represents the annual rent a property would achieve if let on the open market at a valuation date which is set in law.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s Review of Business Rates sought views on ways in which the valuation system for business rates could be improved. As set out in the Government’s 2021 Interim Report, there was strong support for retaining the existing basis of RV.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s final report concluded its review of the business rates system, committing to greater transparency for ratepayers in two phases.</p><p> </p><p>The first phase sought to deliver more transparent guidance for customers and agents, to support a clearer understanding of how valuations are reached. These changes were delivered ahead of the April 2023 commitment, and included improvements to online guidance and advice.</p><p> </p><p>The second phase will ensure further transparency for ratepayers, providing more details of how the rateable value is calculated earlier in the process.</p><p>The VOA recently consulted stakeholders on this issue, presenting several options for how greater transparency might be achieved, balancing the need for additional disclosure against the need to protect data and confidentiality. The consultation invited responses from a broad range of ratepayers and representative groups. The Government is currently analysing the feedback received.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 192655 question first answered 13/07/2023 15:30:09 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1612396

registered interest
date	19/04/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Childcare
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 potential impact of good quality childcare on levels of economic productivity.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	181686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2023 answer text <p>Investing in high quality childcare can support economic growth and productivity, through its impact on parental participation in the labour market and children’s future success in education and in the labour market.</p><p>At Spring Budget 2023, the government announced that it will expand the free childcare hours offer so that eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. HM Treasury does not prepare formal forecasts for the UK economy, including assessments of the impact of the Budget, which are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). As a result of this policy, the OBR estimated around 60,000 to enter employment by 2027-28, as well as increase the hours worked by mothers already in work. The OBR judged this policy to have the largest impact on potential output in this Budget. Further details can be found in the OBR’s latest Economic and Fiscal Outlook published in March 2023: <a href="https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2023/" target="_blank">https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2023/</a></p><p>The government also announced a substantial uplift to the hourly rate paid to providers to deliver the existing free hours offers, providing £204 million in 2023-24, paid from September 2023, and £288 million in 2024-25. This will help providers manage cost pressures, develop the necessary capacity to deliver the new free hours offers, and raise the quality of provision. According to the <a href="https://ifs.org.uk/sites/default/files/output_url_files/R99.pdf" target="_blank">IFS</a>, attending high quality early years settings has a positive impact on children’s future success in education and in the labour market, with higher lifetime earnings.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 26/04/2023 09:15:55 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1611281

registered interest
date	17/04/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Universal Credit: National Insurance Contributions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Universal Credit claimants have paid voluntary national insurance contributions to cover their time claiming Universal Credit because those credits are not automatically transferred to the electronic National Insurance Recording System in the last year.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	180910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2023 answer text <p>HMRC does not hold information about the number of customers who have paid voluntary national insurance contributions (NICs) due to their National Insurance record not being updated with the credits they were due while claiming Universal Credit. If customers have paid voluntary NICs unnecessarily, they can be refunded once their record has been updated with their periods of Universal Credit. HMRC is aiming to have all customer NI records for years up to April 2023 updated by the end of the 2023-24 tax year.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 25/04/2023 15:37:45 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1606440

registered interest
date	22/03/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Religious Buildings: Business Rates
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 adequacy of the Valuation Office Agency's process for assessing non-traditional buildings which are places of worship.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	171473
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2023 answer text <p>Schedule 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 sets out what conditions must be met for a religious building to be exempt from business rates. The main requirements are that the building should be a place of public religious worship which either belongs to the Church of England, the Church in Wales, or is certified as a place of religious worship by the General Register Office. It must also be used for the conduct of public religious worship.</p><p> </p><p>The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) recognises that not all places of public religious worship will be in buildings that have traditionally been considered places of worship, such as purpose-built churches, temples, or chapels. The assessment of whether a property is used for the conduct of public religious worship is considered on a case-by-case basis, according to the facts. This includes consideration of any signage that is in place inviting public worship.</p><p> </p><p>Should a ratepayer be unhappy with the VOA’s assessment of their property, they can formally challenge the decision through the Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) process.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 171474 question first answered 28/03/2023 10:19:11 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1541767

registered interest
date	14/11/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Food Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he will take to help ensure that households are not reliant on food banks.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	86524
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2022 answer text <p>The government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living, and are seeing their disposable incomes decrease as they spend more on the essentials.</p><p> </p><p>That is why the government has announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have taken decisive action to support millions of households and business with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1200 of support this year through the £400 EBSS, £150 Council Tax rebate and one-off £650 Cost of Living Payment for those on means-tested benefits, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 17/11/2022 13:59:35 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1459331

registered interest
date	21/04/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Care Workers: Travel
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 ensure that fuel remuneration for social care workers is in line with actual fuel costs; and whether he has plans to provide support to those workers for increased travel to work costs.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	157426
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee’s expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle.</p><p> </p><p>The government sets AMAP rates to minimise administrative burdens. AMAPs aim to reflect running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation. Depreciation is estimated to constitute the most significant proportion of the AMAPs.</p><p> </p><p>Employers are not required to use the AMAP rates. Instead, they can agree to reimburse the actual cost incurred, where individuals can provide evidence of the expenditure, without an Income Tax or National Insurance charge arising.</p><p> </p><p>The government also sets Advisory Fuel Rates (AFRs) and the Advisory Electric Rate (AER) which are used when an employer reimburses an employee for business travel in a company car, or when an employee reimburses an employer for the cost of fuel used for private travel. These rates are also advisory.</p><p> </p><p>The government keeps this policy under review.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 26/04/2022 15:16:14 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1437732

registered interest
date	03/03/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Empty Property: Business 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 merits of charging empty high street properties additional business rates in the event that they do not allow local start-up businesses from utilising their space at a reduced cost.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	134056
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2022 answer text <p>The business rates system ensures that the owners of most empty buildings pay 100 per cent of the business rates bill once the property has been unoccupied for three months, or six months for industrial buildings. This current structure strikes the right balance between not penalising landlords who lose a tenant at short notice, whilst incentivising property owners and landlords to secure new tenants.</p><p> </p><p>In the Levelling Up White Paper, the Government committed to going further in supporting places to tackle blight and reviving our high streets by exploring new powers for local authorities to require landlords to rent out long-term vacant properties to prospective tenants, such as local businesses or community groups.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 14/03/2022 17:39:25 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell