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1228031

	registered interest
	date	27/07/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Working Hours
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage and support firms in reducing working hours in an equitable manner while avoiding redundancies, on a model similar to the German Kurzarbeit scheme.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL7324
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/08/2020 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that people are able to return to work in a manner that is sustainable and adjustable to the reopening of the economy.</p><p> </p><p>The Government therefore introduced flexible furloughing from 1 July. Firms can now bring back employees that have been furloughed for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants for the hours not worked, with no minimum furlough period.</p><p> </p><p>It is right that state support is slowly reduced and the focus shifts to getting furloughed employees back to work. As such, from August 2020, the level of the grant will be slowly tapered to reflect that people will be returning to work. Employees will continue to receive 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 when furloughed.</p><p>While other countries have announced similar schemes, the UK response remains among the most comprehensive.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 10/08/2020 14:32:13 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	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
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	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

1518482

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Taxation: Disclosure of Information
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have fully to meet the standards for tax transparency set by the General Assembly of the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, including its 14 guiding principles.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL2324
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2022 answer text <p>HMRC, in combination with HM Treasury, the Office of Budget Responsibility, Office for National Statistics, and other Government departments are already meeting, or exceeding, areas identified in the 14 guiding principles set by the General Assembly of the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency for tax transparency, for example:</p><p> </p><ul><li>HMRC publish an annual report which includes information on the prevailing tax gap and action taken to reduce it, as well as comprehensive accounts and other information on revenues, expenditure, performance and performance plans. This is in addition to separate publications on the measurement of tax gaps and other research conducted by HMRC on taxpayers’ behaviour and tax administration;</li><li>HMRC’s published Annual Report and Accounts, as well as other aspects of its performance and expenditure, are regularly audited by the independent National Audit Office (NAO), and subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. NAO reports of its audits are also published. Revenue and other statistics published by HMRC adhere to the Official Statistics Code of Practice and are also subject to independent audit by the UK’s Statistics Authority;</li><li>The UK Government and HMRC have increased their own transparency by publishing more data, including information about the exercise of powers. Government departments also publish data as part of a cross-Government transparency data publishing requirement, as directed by several letters from the Prime Minister since 2010;</li><li>The UK Government collaborates with international and regional financial institutions, contributing to their published revenue statistics, to improve the fairness, efficiency, and effectiveness of tax administration, including through the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/tax/forum-on-tax-administration/" target="_blank">Forum on Tax Administration</a>; and</li><li>The Tax Assurance Commissioner (TAC) role was created in 2012 to strengthen governance and assurance of tax disputes. The TAC provides assurance to Parliament and the public on the handling of civil tax disputes<em>, </em>and their Report is published as part of HMRC’s Annual Report.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Increasing transparency to improve the public’s trust in the tax system and Government accountability remains a focus for this administration.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 10/10/2022 11:29:53 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1227109

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide income and other support for individuals forced to self-isolate or find a safe place to remain during a geographically-defined or workplace-related COVID-19 lockdown.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL7079
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2020 answer text <p>Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) has been extended to those told to self-isolate due to whole household quarantine, or due to the Test and Trace programme. The Government has taken additional measures to make SSP payable from day 1, not day 4 for these cases. SSP should only be paid to those unable to work, and those able to work from home should receive their normal wage. These changes apply in areas under local lockdown.</p><p>In addition to the changes to SSP, those living in areas of local lockdown can benefit from the unprecedented set of measures introduced by the Chancellor to help individuals affected by COVID-19. This includes the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention and Self-Employment Income Support Schemes, as well as the injection of an additional £9.3bn into the welfare system according to OBR estimates.</p><p>On accommodation, the Government recognises the challenges faced by many who are sleeping rough and it is committed to helping them. So far, over 90 per cent of those on the streets at the beginning of the crisis and known to local authorities have been offered safe accommodation.</p><p>The Government has provided £221m of additional funding for rough sleepers during the crisis, including £3.2m specifically to help those who need to self-isolate. This brings total support for rough sleepers in 2020/21 to over half a billion pounds. All local authorities in England will be able to benefit from these measures, including those under local lockdown.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 28/07/2020 15:44:41 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1233558

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Retail Trade: Corporation Tax
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that online retail businesses pay corporate taxation (1) at similar levels to high street retailers, and (2) which is relative to profits.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL8014
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2020 answer text <p>Corporation tax is charged on profits that businesses generate from the activities they undertake in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Significant measures have been put in place to counter arrangements designed to shift profits derived from UK activities overseas.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the UK is actively involved in continuing OECD discussions which aim to deliver a fairer and more sustainable approach to the taxation of highly digital businesses.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 22/09/2020 11:09:05 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1244939

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Renewable Energy: VAT
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for removing VAT from domestic microgeneration renewable products and installations to help consumers to adopt domestic renewable energy sources.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL9352
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2020 answer text <p>Under current VAT rules, the installation of water and wind turbines is subject to the standard rate of VAT. However, the installation of other energy saving materials that generate domestic energy, such as solar panels and micro combined heat and power units, are subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>Although there are no current plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 03/11/2020 12:10:49 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1260427

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Renewable Energy: VAT
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact of (1) removing, and (2) reducing the rate to 0 per cent for, VAT on domestic (a) renewable energy installations, and (b) energy efficiency measures, for 10 years on increasing the uptake of microgeneration in domestic properties.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL11337
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2020 answer text <p>The installation of many energy saving materials, including solar panels and micro combined heat and power units, is already subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>There are no current plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place. However, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 21/12/2020 10:57:33 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	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
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	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

1457020

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector Fraud Authority
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how the new Public Sector Fraud Authority will coordinate its work with (1) HM Treasury, (2) HMRC, (3) the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (4) the Serious Fraud Office, (5) the Crown Prosecution Service, and (6) the British Business Bank, in examining (a) COVID-19 pandemic-related, and (b) other, frauds.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL7796
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The new Public Sector Fraud Authority will report to both Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. It will work with all organisations listed in the question and others. It will aim to understand and reduce both Covid-19 related and other fraud and place counter-fraud at the heart of decision-making across Government.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 21/04/2022 12:34:40 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1522040

	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	Public Health and Unemployment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent data from the Office for National Statistics regarding the UK employment rate for October 2022, which found that "UK economic inactivity rate was estimated at 21.7%, which is 0.6 percentage points higher than the previous three-month period"; and what steps they are taking to improve public health, given this is a potential contributory factor for such economic inactivity.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL2580
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2022 answer text <p>The latest data indicates that the working age inactivity rate in the three months to August was 21.7%, up 0.6 percentage points on the previous three months and up 0.5 percentage points on the year. The headline employment rate for the three months to August was 75.5%, up 0.3 percentage points on the year. Demand for labour remains strong, with vacancies near record highs and significantly above pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2022 (+51%). The latest data indicates that that the unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in the three months to August, the lowest rate since 1974<em>.</em></p><p> </p><p>Our Plan for Patients, which the Department of Health and Social Care introduced in Parliament on 22 September, sets out our immediate priorities to support individuals to live healthier lives and to strengthen the resilience and health of the nation. This includes moving prevention services closer to the patient, expanding mental health support in schools and increasing support for people to start, stay and succeed in employment. Alongside this, the Department of Health and Social Care is currently reviewing all of its wider priorities with a focus on improving the health of the population across the breadth of the country.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 27/10/2022 12:55:38 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle