Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Lord Roborough - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
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.
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
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.
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.[1]
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
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.
Travel insurers must treat customers fairly and are required to do so by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
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.
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.
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.
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).
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The Government recognises the vital role that advice services play in helping people in problem debt and vulnerable circumstances.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
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.
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
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.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to determine whether the financial sector presents too great a risk for the UK economy and regulatory structures to bear.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government actively monitors the financial sector and any risks to financial stability and the UK economy more widely. It continues to work closely with the regulators, including the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority, to assess risks and where appropriate coordinate a response with them. The regulators are working with firms to improve their resilience to market shocks, and it is a focus of government to ensure that we have a robust regulatory system. The UK financial sector remains resilient and well capitalised – ensuring it can continue to support households and business and play an important part in the UK economy.