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1258301

registered interest
date	03/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Customs: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC still accepts applications from UK companies on form C1800 to access Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) to award CHIEF badges.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	124786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2020 answer text <p>HMRC do still accept applications from UK companies on form C1800 to access Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) to award CHIEF badges, and will continue to do so from 1 January 2021.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 08/12/2020 11:52:18 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1257797

registered interest
date	02/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support people who have been excluded from the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme because they became employed in mid-October 2020 and their employer did not submit the payroll before midnight 30 October 2020.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	124274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>Furloughed employees must have been on their employers’ PAYE payroll between 20 March and 30 October and HMRC must have received an RTI (Real Time Information) submission notifying payment in respect of that employee between 20 March and 30 October. The CJRS had to be set up to operate at very significant scale, quickly and with limited manual intervention. The use of RTI allows HMRC to verify claims in the most efficient and timely way, ensuring payments can be made quickly while reducing the risk of fraud.</p><p>The CJRS is only one element of a substantial package of support for businesses and individuals, including a package of temporary welfare measures, which includes increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Housing Benefit and Universal Credit, which mean over one million households who rent privately will gain an average of £600 per year; a relaxation of the Universal Credit minimum income floor; and measures to make access easier to Statutory Sick Pay and new style Employment and Support Allowance.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 14:52:57 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1257172

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
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 merits of making it a mandatory requirement that employers make available the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to their employees.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	123599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been extended from 1 November until March 2021 and will be reviewed in January.</p><p> </p><p>The scheme is designed to support anyone who would otherwise have been made unemployed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The furloughing of staff through the CJRS is a voluntary arrangement entered at the employers’ discretion and agreed by employees. It is not for the Government to decide whether an individual firm should put its staff on furlough or take its staff off furlough; that is a decision for the employer, in consultation with the employee.</p><p> </p><p>Employers can claim up to an 80% grant for the hours not worked by an employee up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. Employers will not be required to contribute or top-up for the hours not worked. Employers will still need to pay employer National Insurance contributions and employer pension contributions.</p><p> </p><p>Under the CJRS extension, employers can flexibly furlough their employees, which means employers can furlough employees for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim CJRS grant for the hours not worked, and there will not be a minimum furlough period.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 14:45:03 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1257182

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Directors: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide financial support to company directors who do not qualify for assistance under the CJRS and the SEISS; and what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the effect of the exclusion of company directors from these schemes.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
uin	123616
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government prioritised delivering support to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible while guarding against the risk of fraud or abuse. The Government takes an evidence-based approach when developing policy. This meant making difficult decisions, and the Chancellor has acknowledged that it has not been possible to support everyone as they would want.</p><p> </p><p>The CJRS and SEISS are only two elements of a substantial package of support for businesses and individuals. There is access to affordable, Government-backed finance through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBLS) for large firms, along with the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprises. Over £65 billion (as of 15 November) has been dispensed through these schemes.</p><p> </p><p>At the Winter Economy Plan, the Government also announced that it would give businesses which deferred VAT due in March to June 2020 the option to spread their payments over the financial year 2021-2022 under the VAT deferral ‘New Payment Scheme’. Over half a million businesses deferred VAT payments, a cash injection of £30 billion into the UK economy when it needed it most.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also implemented a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element. The £20 per week uplift is one part of a package of temporary welfare measures, which also includes increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Housing Benefit and Universal Credit, which mean over one million households who rent privately will gain an average of £600 per year.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 15:06:29 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1257196

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Seasonal Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure that seasonal workers are not disadvantaged under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Tunbridge Wells
tabling member printed	Greg Clark
uin	123552
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government has ensured that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is available for as many people as possible. Hence, employees can be on any type of contract and be eligible to be furloughed under the CJRS.</p><p> </p><p>The CJRS has been available to all employers with a PAYE system and all employees on PAYE regardless of their employment contract, enabling millions of people to remain employed.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on eligibility for the CJRS can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 15:04:18 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark

1257206

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs Digital Technology Services: Tax Avoidance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Loan Charge, who the deemed employer or promoter was of loan schemes used by Revenue and Customs Digital Technology Services (RCTDS)-employed contractors post 2017; for what reason use of those schemes reportedly continued for three years after the enactment of the Finance Act 2017; and whether the then Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office audited and signed off RCTDS accounts in 2018.
tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
tabling member printed	Allan Dorans
uin	123692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>Revenue and Customs Digital Technology Services Limited (RCDTS) has never participated in disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes, for example by remunerating contractors through loans or payments to trusts. Since RCDTS engages contractors via agencies or via companies providing services, it is possible for contractors to use disguised remuneration without the participation or knowledge of RCDTS.</p><p> </p><p>It is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to provide details of any employers, promoters or schemes due to their statutory duty of confidentiality.</p><p> </p><p>Use of disguised remuneration schemes continued after the enactment of the Finance Act 2017 because promoters continued to sell them, despite the clear view of HMRC that these schemes do not work.</p><p> </p><p>Any RCDTS contractor identified in the course of HM Revenue and Customs’ compliance work as using a disguised remuneration scheme would be investigated in the same way as any other contractor. Where the use of disguised remuneration is found to be current, the relevant engagement is terminated with immediate effect.</p><p> </p><p>The Revenue and Customs Digital Services Ltd accounts ending 31 March 2018, 31 March 2019 and 31 March 2020 were audited by the NAO under Statute.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 15:12:22 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4740 label Biography information for Allan Dorans

1257228

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Department for Work and Pensions, (b) the Health and Safety Executive and (c) other Departments on organisations' duty of care to employees with underlying health conditions who are refused furlough.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	123645
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The furloughing of staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a voluntary arrangement entered at the employers’ discretion and agreed by employees. That means it is not for the Government to decide whether an individual firm should put its staff on furlough.</p><p> </p><p>Treasury ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors (including MPs, businesses, professional representative bodies, and the unions) throughout the development of the COVID-19 support package, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel</a></p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 15:10:33 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1257229

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Directors: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of employees of small limited companies whose jobs are at risk as a result of the ineligibility for covid-19 related financial support of directors who are paid through dividends.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	123646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government prioritised delivering support to as many people as possible as quickly as possible, while guarding against the risk of fraud or abuse. The Government takes an evidence-based approach when developing policy. This meant making difficult decisions, and the Chancellor has acknowledged that it has not been possible to support everyone as they would want.</p><p> </p><p>Dividends are not covered by the CJRS. Income from dividends is a return on investment in the company, rather than wages. Under current reporting mechanisms it is not possible for HM Revenue &amp; Customs (HMRC) to distinguish between dividends derived from an individual’s own company and dividends from other sources, and between dividends in lieu of employment income and as returns from other corporate activity. Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible for the CJRS. The CJRS is available to employers, including personal service companies, and individuals paying themselves a salary through a PAYE scheme are eligible.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC designed the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) using information already in hand, in order to make it deliverable quickly and to minimise the risk of fraud. Expanding the scope would have required HMRC to collect new information that they would not be able to manageably or consistently verify in order to ensure that payments were made to eligible companies and for eligible activity.</p><p>It is important to secure the SEISS against fraud risk and misuse.</p><p> </p><p>The CJRS and SEISS are only two elements of a substantial package of support for businesses and individuals. There is access to affordable, Government-backed finance through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBLS) for large firms, along with the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprises. Over £65 billion (as of 15 November) has been dispensed through these schemes.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/12/2020 14:47:05 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1257230

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Directors: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to provide support to directors of small limited companies who are unable to trade on a financially viable basis during the (a) national covid-19 restrictions and (b) tier system of local covid alert level restrictions from 2 December 2020.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	123647
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government has acknowledged that it has not been possible to support everyone as they might want. The practical issues that prevented the Government from being able to include directors of limited companies in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), namely the inability of HM Revenue and Customs to verify the source of their dividend income without introducing unacceptable levels of fraud risk, still remain. This issue prevents implementing an alternative scheme specifically for limited company directors.</p><p> </p><p>Company directors who pay themselves a salary through PAYE are able to apply for CJRS support, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria of the scheme. Directors may also be eligible for other elements of the wider package of financial support available, including the Local Restrictions Support Grants, Government-backed loan schemes, tax deferrals, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and increased levels of Universal Credit to reflect lower earnings.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 123648 question first answered 07/12/2020 15:02:03 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1257231

registered interest
date	01/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Directors: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support directors of small limited companies who are unable to trade on a financially viable basis during the (a) current national restrictions and (b) tier system of local covid alert level restriction from 2 December 2020.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	123648
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government has acknowledged that it has not been possible to support everyone as they might want. The practical issues that prevented the Government from being able to include directors of limited companies in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), namely the inability of HM Revenue and Customs to verify the source of their dividend income without introducing unacceptable levels of fraud risk, still remain. This issue prevents implementing an alternative scheme specifically for limited company directors.</p><p> </p><p>Company directors who pay themselves a salary through PAYE are able to apply for CJRS support, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria of the scheme. Directors may also be eligible for other elements of the wider package of financial support available, including the Local Restrictions Support Grants, Government-backed loan schemes, tax deferrals, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and increased levels of Universal Credit to reflect lower earnings.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 123647 question first answered 07/12/2020 15:02:04 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes