The Government does not hold information on charities\u2019 activities. The powers within the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 impose a statutory duty on HMRC to maintain taxpayer confidentiality, which means that it cannot comment on the affairs of individual charities. This includes how much charities have received in support through tax reliefs.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-28T13:55:29.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Charities: Government Assistance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spring Budget Report 2023, HC1183, published on 15 March 2023, which (a) activities and (b) charities will be eligible for the £5 billion support to the charitable sector; and how much each of them has received.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/76", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Green"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ashford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Damian Green"} ], "uin" : "172319"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606714", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606714/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Consistent to answers given to written questions on 23 February 2023 and 17 May 2022, the information requested on external recruitment consultant expenditure is not available as we do not centrally hold data with this level of granularity on recruitment costs for the financial years in question.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-28T13:52:49.81Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Treasury: Consultants"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on external recruitment consultants in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4356", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Angela Rayner"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ashton-under-Lyne"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Angela Rayner"} ], "uin" : "172421"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606756", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606756/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ensuring that everyone has access to suitable and affordable financial products and services is a priority for this Government. Last year, the Government published its Financial Inclusion Report 2021-22 which sets out the steps Government has taken to widen access to useful and affordable financial services for all, including insurance.<\/p>
<\/p>
For example, in addition to the FCA signposting rules mentioned in my previous response, the Government has also worked with industry on wider issues around improving access to insurance, including other signposting initiatives. For instance, the Age Agreement, which we will review this year, offers support for older consumers struggling to access motor and travel insurance.<\/p>
<\/p>
The FCA has also taken steps to ensure fairer outcomes for all motor and home insurance customers. As of 1 January 2022, insurers cannot charge renewing customers a higher price than they would pay if they were a new customer purchasing via the same channel.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4874", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Griffith"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Arundel and South Downs"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Griffith"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-28T14:42:40.68Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Travel: Insurance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2023 to Question 162259 on Travel: Insurance, whether his Department has taken recent steps with (a) insurers and (b) the regulator to help increase access to (i) suitable and (ii) affordable insurance for all people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4615", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brighton, Kemptown"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lloyd Russell-Moyle"} ], "uin" : "172480"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606766", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606766/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Information on the abolition of the lifetime allowance can be found in the Pension Tax Limits Policy paper Pension Tax Limits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4874", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Griffith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Arundel and South Downs"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Griffith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-29T10:40:39.957Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pensions: Tax Allowances"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of proposals to abolish the lifetime allowance cap per worker who is incentivised not to retire early.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4799", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Charlotte Nichols"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warrington North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Charlotte Nichols"}
], "uin" : "172519"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606769", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606769/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " On business rates, the Government has announced a package of support worth £13.6 billion for businesses over the next five years. Together with the revaluation, this package ensures bills will more accurately reflect current market values whilst protecting businesses from large bill increases.<\/p> <\/p> The Government's generous Small Business Rate Relief scheme sees over a third of properties (720,000) pay no business rates at all, with an additional 76,000 in the taper seeing their bills reduced. Combined with an updated Retail, Hospitality & Leisure (RHL) relief, 80% of RHL properties will see bills fall or stay the same at the 2023 Revaluation, protecting the UK's high street businesses.<\/p> <\/p> The Government is also providing over £500 million of support over the next three years with a new Supporting Small Business scheme. This will cap bill increases to £50 per month (£600 per year) for businesses losing some or all of their Small Business or Rural Rate Relief due to the revaluation.<\/p> <\/p> The Government recognises that accounting for VAT can be a burden on businesses. This is why, at £85,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU Member State and the second highest in the OECD. This keeps the majority of UK businesses out of VAT altogether.<\/p> <\/p> Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no current plans to change the levels of VAT.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-28T16:20:29.067Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Business Rates and VAT"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of business rates and VAT for (a) micro businesses and (b) SMEs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4681", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bob Seely"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Isle of Wight"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bob Seely"}
], "uin" : "172512"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606860", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606860/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government believes that all customers, wherever they live, should have appropriate access to banking services. Nonetheless, decisions on opening and closing branches are a commercial issue for banks and building societies. The Government does not intervene in these decisions or make direct assessments of these branch networks.<\/p> <\/p> Guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to reduce their physical branches or the number of free-to-use ATMs. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on the everyday banking and cash access needs of their customers and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This ensures that the implementation of closure decisions is undertaken in a way that treats customers fairly.<\/p> Regarding the ATM network specifically, LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator.<\/p> <\/p> LINK publishes the total number of free-to-use and pay-to-use ATMs across the UK on a regular basis. Further information is available on LINK\u2019s website: https://www.link.co.uk/<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Alternative options for access can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and the Post Office. New shared banking hubs are also being introduced, providing basic banking services and dedicated space where community bankers from major banks can meet customers of that bank.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4874", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Griffith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Arundel and South Downs"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Griffith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "172527"}
, {"_value" : "172528"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-29T10:42:24.913Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Banks: Rhondda Cynon Taf"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of bank branches that have closed in (a) the Cynon Valley constituency and (b) Rhondday Cynon Taff local authority, in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4809", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Beth Winter"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cynon Valley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Beth Winter"}
], "uin" : "172526"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606861", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1606861/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government believes that all customers, wherever they live, should have appropriate access to banking services. Nonetheless, decisions on opening and closing branches are a commercial issue for banks and building societies. The Government does not intervene in these decisions or make direct assessments of these branch networks.<\/p> <\/p> Guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority sets out its expectation of firms when they are deciding to reduce their physical branches or the number of free-to-use ATMs. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on the everyday banking and cash access needs of their customers and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This ensures that the implementation of closure decisions is undertaken in a way that treats customers fairly.<\/p> Regarding the ATM network specifically, LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator.<\/p> <\/p>