Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1729682

registered interest
date	13/09/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Further Education: VAT
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of removing VAT liability from general further education colleges, given that sixth form colleges are not liable.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/09/2024 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 include sixth form colleges which provide these services for a charge.</p><p>Education and vocational training provided by further education colleges will not be subject to VAT as they do not charge fees for full time education for 16–19-year-olds.</p> answering member printed Lord Livermore question first answered 27/09/2024 10:39:21 answering member 4559 label Biography information for Lord Livermore
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1722325

registered interest
date	19/07/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Landfill Tax: Fraud
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to tackle landfill tax fraud.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL165
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The government is committed to considering options to design out incentives to commit tax fraud, including within Landfill Tax, and will provide further updates in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Livermore question first answered 29/07/2024 16:52:31 answering member 4559 label Biography information for Lord Livermore
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1699319

registered interest
date	27/03/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Interparliamentary Finance Committee Forum
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why no Minister attended the meeting on 21 March of the Interparliamentary Finance Committee Forum with members of the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3655
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of the devolved legislature finance committees’ roles in providing rigorous scrutiny to devolved administration budgets and holding devolved administration ministers to account for their policy and budgetary decisions. As the previous Chief Secretary to the Treasury set out in his letters to the Senedd Finance Committee and the Finance and Public Administration Committee last year, we are mindful of parliamentary accountabilities where UK Government is accountable to the UK Parliament for its tax and spending decisions.</p> answering member printed Lord Roborough question first answered 12/04/2024 13:10:02 answering member 4953 label Biography information for Lord Roborough
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1696556

registered interest
date	18/03/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Financial Services: Compensation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the systemic impact from the Financial Conduct Authority’s crackdown on wealth management services under the Consumer Duty; what estimate they have made of the likely total compensation that will need to be paid by wealth management firms; and what other areas of the financial sector they expect to be impacted by the Consumer Duty.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3313
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2024 answer text <p>Requirements regarding financial adviser ongoing services started in 2013 following the Retail Distribution Review, with additional requirements resulting from the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive in 2018.</p><p>In February, the FCA wrote to a number of financial adviser firms requesting information about their delivery of ongoing services, for which their clients continue to be charged. The FCA is collecting this information to assess what, if any, further regulatory work it may undertake in this area.</p><p>The FCA’s new Consumer Duty seeks to set a higher and clearer standard of care that firms owe their customers. The FCA is an independent non-governmental body and is responsible for determining the application of the relevant rules. The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of Consumer Duty rules, as they bed in and as industry becomes more familiar with them.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 28/03/2024 12:40:27 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1685669

registered interest
date	29/01/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Pension Funds
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of the pension funds of regulators investing in companies for which the regulator has oversight responsibility, for example in the recent case of the Environment Agency’s pension fund investing in companies which produce PFAS.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1972
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2024 answer text <p>Most regulators participate in the unfunded public service pension schemes, which do not invest monies in order to generate returns. Those that do have funded schemes are subject to DWP occupational pension scheme legislation, with investments separated from the organisation and trustees responsible for scheme investments, or, in the case of the Environment Agency, participate in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Trustees and LGPS administering authorities have specific legal and fiduciary duties.</p><p>LGPS administering authorities, including the Environment Agency Pension Fund, are required to act in the interest of the fund and not the employer in setting and implementing their investment strategy. DLUHC guidance sets out that it is good practice for administering authorities to have robust policies to manage any potential conflicts of interest. The EAPF conflicts of interest policy is available online.<sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup></p><p> </p><p>[1] <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eapf.org.uk%2F~%2Fmedia%2Fdocument-libraries%2Feapf2%2Fpolicies%2F2023%2Fconflicts-of-interest-policy-agreed-at-june--23-pc--final_v2.pdf%3Fla%3Den%26hash%3D73A3192F28D6418F742FA515277EE97CA00E8542&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cliam.claughton%40hmtreasury.gov.uk%7Cd1f5cbd49b934f2e54fe08dc27043b27%7Ced1644c505e049e6bc39fcf7ac51c18c%7C0%7C0%7C638428146718896084%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=6NtMfv0A8FIJd%2BvNxeF5MDIS8LjTIz8IR8hIB0SQnMc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.eapf.org.uk/~/media/document-libraries/eapf2/policies/2023/conflicts-of-interest-policy-agreed-at-june--23-pc--final_v2.pdf?la=en&amp;hash=73A3192F28D6418F742FA515277EE97CA00E8542</a></p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 12/02/2024 16:40:10 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1654938

registered interest
date	20/07/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Travel: Insurance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that travel insurance companies provide cover for travel cancellations due to heatwaves, given their rising incidence and intensity, and the risks to the health of travellers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2023 answer text The Government does not prescribe the terms, conditions or price that insurance companies may set when offering insurance, including travel insurance. As travel insurance policies differ, customers should speak to their insurer or check the terms and conditions of their policy.<p> </p><p> </p><p>Travel insurers must treat customers fairly and are required to do so by the Financial Conduct Authority.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 26/07/2023 14:08:23 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1563809

registered interest
date	21/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cryptocurrencies: Advertising
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of cryptocurrency advertisements being targeted at (1) young people, and (2) people from minority communities, including with the involvement of celebrities, sports stars and sports teams; and what plans they have, if any, to place restrictions on such advertising.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4473
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>The government’s ambition is to make the UK a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment. In April, previous Ministers set out a number of reforms which will see the regulation and aspects of tax treatment of cryptoassets evolve. The government will also consult on its approach to regulating wider cryptoasset activities in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Recent events in cryptoasset markets have highlighted the importance of establishing regulation which supports safe innovation and protects consumers and stability. As the cryptoasset market has developed rapidly, HMT and the FCA have been working at pace to adapt existing regulation to the challenges – and opportunities – posed by unique cryptoassets.</p><p> </p><p>For instance, to protect consumers, the FCA has banned the sale of cryptoasset derivatives to retail consumers and in January 2022 the government published a response to a consultation on a proposal to bring certain cryptoassets into the scope of financial promotions regulation. The forthcoming legislation on cryptoasset promotions, and supporting FCA rules, will regulate in-scope cryptoasset financial promotions, requiring them to be fair, clear and not misleading. This is aimed at improving consumers’ understanding of the risks and benefits associated with cryptoasset purchases and ensuring that cryptoasset promotions are held to the same standards as similar risk financial services products.</p><p> </p><p>The government also draws attention to and restates the FCA’s warnings to consumers that buyers of most cryptoassets should be prepared to lose all of the money they invest.</p><p> </p><p>The government and the Cryptoassets Taskforce continue to closely monitor the wider cryptoasset market and will stand ready to take further regulatory action if required.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 09/01/2023 16:58:09 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1536576

registered interest
date	26/10/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Debts: Advisory Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that public advice services for (1) individuals, and (2) households, struggling with debt are able to meet demand.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The Government recognises the vital role that advice services play in helping people in problem debt and vulnerable circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>To help people in problem debt, the Government continues to maintain record levels of funding for free-to-client debt advice in England, bringing the 2022-23 debt advice budget for the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) to over £90 million.</p><p> </p><p>MaPS is the single largest funder of debt advice in England. It works alongside partners across the UK to make debt advice easier and quicker to access, and to improve standards and quality across the sector.</p><p>MaPS recently concluded a debt advice commissioning exercise with the primary aim of increasing the volume of debt advice available, as well as ensuring that such advice meets clients’ needs and proactively targets vulnerable and underrepresented groups. These contracts, once signed, will be starting from 1 February 2023.</p><p> </p><p>To help people access debt advice, MaPS launched MoneyHelper in 2021, a consumer-facing service which provides free and impartial guidance for people across the UK. This includes budget planning and bill prioritiser tools, practical tips for engaging with creditors and a Debt Advice Locator Tool, which helps people find free, high-quality debt advice in their local area or via the telephone and online.</p><p> </p><p>MaPS has also developed the Money Advisor Network pilot which enables a range of organisations including Job Centre Plus, local authorities and financial service providers to refer people for free to MaPS funded debt advice. The individuals referred can either proceed immediately to debt advice, request a call-back at a more convenient time or schedule an in-person appointment.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 08/11/2022 15:50:45 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1536578

registered interest
date	26/10/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Mortgages: Interest Rates
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist (1) households at risk of defaulting on their mortgage as a result of rising interest rates, and (2) private renters whose landlord is at risk of defaulting on their mortgage.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2022 answer text <p>Mortgage arrears levels remain historically low. According to the latest UK Finance data, there were 74,560 residential mortgages in arrears at the end of June, 10% fewer than in the same period in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p>If mortgage borrowers do fall into financial difficulty, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government has taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst the setting of rents and the payment of mortgages are matters for private landlords, ensuring a fair deal for renters remains a priority for this government.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has already taken immediate action to help households with the rising cost of living through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to the £37 billion of targeted support for the cost of living this financial year, which will support homeowners and tenants alike. The Government has also announced an extra £500 million of local support in England via the Household Support Fund (bringing the total amount provided to £1.5 billion since October 2021).</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 09/11/2022 12:05:05 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1522039

registered interest
date	13/10/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider including refugees arriving under the family visa scheme within the funding of the Homes for Ukraine scheme; and whether they will remove the barriers to exchanging Ukrainian currency for sterling.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2022 answer text <p>To support those fleeing the conflict, the Government has introduced two visa schemes to welcome Ukrainian refugees to the UK: the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine. The Ukraine Family Scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK. Homes for Ukraine allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under the scheme. Further details on scheme eligibility can be found at GOV.UK. People that enter under both visa schemes support integration by providing full access to social services and welfare in the UK for up to three years.</p><p> </p><p>As each of these schemes uses different routes to support Ukrainians to find safe refuge in the UK, they were set up to be funded differently. The Ukraine Family Scheme is similar to existing family visa routes, and provision of public services from this route will be managed in the usual way. The UK-based family member is expected to provide support and accommodation for those coming to join them, who in turn benefit from the wider integration advantages in joining an existing family network.</p><p> </p><p>On the matter of exchanging Ukrainian currency for sterling, the Government has taken steps to ensure support for incoming Ukrainian nationals opening bank accounts, and Ukrainians are able to convert their currency to GBP electronically at several major banks and electronic money institutions. The industry has also taken measures to support refugees and their access to essential financial services, including commitments to waive certain fees. The Government continues to monitor the situation for Ukrainians in the UK’s financial marketplace closely.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 27/10/2022 13:05:00 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle