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Written Question
Married People: Tax Allowances
Tuesday 26th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 7 April (HL7284), what was the initial budget agreed for the advertising campaign for the Married Couple's Allowance.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue and Customs’ plans for advertising Marriage Allowance evolved over time.

HMRC does not hold data on the number of customers that have applied for Marriage Allowance by Local Authority or Parliamentary Constituency.


Written Question
Government Securities
Monday 25th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average bid made by banks with official trader status in each gilt auction since May 2015.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

The average amount bid by wholesale Gilt-edged Market Makers (GEMMs) at gilt auctions between 14 May 2015 and 7 April 2016 was £202.17 million per GEMM per auction.

As the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have said, the civil service is working to support the Government’s position that Britain is stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU. Gilt auctions are expected to proceed as normal in the build up to the EU referendum, in line with UK Debt Management Office (DMO) plans published on 31 March 2016.

As customary, the DMO will publish precise details of gilt auctions for July-September 2016 one month before the start of the quarter on 31 May 2016.


Written Question
Government Securities
Monday 25th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of speculation around the EU referendum on UK gilt auctions.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

The average amount bid by wholesale Gilt-edged Market Makers (GEMMs) at gilt auctions between 14 May 2015 and 7 April 2016 was £202.17 million per GEMM per auction.

As the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have said, the civil service is working to support the Government’s position that Britain is stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU. Gilt auctions are expected to proceed as normal in the build up to the EU referendum, in line with UK Debt Management Office (DMO) plans published on 31 March 2016.

As customary, the DMO will publish precise details of gilt auctions for July-September 2016 one month before the start of the quarter on 31 May 2016.


Written Question
Government Securities
Monday 25th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a vote to leave the EU on UK gilt auctions.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

The average amount bid by wholesale Gilt-edged Market Makers (GEMMs) at gilt auctions between 14 May 2015 and 7 April 2016 was £202.17 million per GEMM per auction.

As the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have said, the civil service is working to support the Government’s position that Britain is stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU. Gilt auctions are expected to proceed as normal in the build up to the EU referendum, in line with UK Debt Management Office (DMO) plans published on 31 March 2016.

As customary, the DMO will publish precise details of gilt auctions for July-September 2016 one month before the start of the quarter on 31 May 2016.


Written Question
Capital Gains Tax
Monday 25th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people paid capital gains tax on personal possessions in each of the last five years, and what was the total amount of tax paid.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

Information is not available on the number of people paying Capital Gains Tax on specific types of possession, or the total amount of tax paid on gains of specific type of possession. Capital Gains Tax payments are not separated into personal possessions. However, the Government publishes information about total amount of Capital Gains Tax paid each year and the total numbers of individuals accruing liabilities.


Written Question
Married People: Tax Allowances
Thursday 7th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) poster boards, (2) bus advertisements, (3) television advertisements, (4) magazine or print advertisements, and (5) other forms of advertising, they are using to promote the Married Couple’s Allowance; and what is the cost of each form of advertising.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

As of March 24 2016, 585,487 couples had successfully applied for Marriage Allowance, including apporoximately 181,00 who applied in March.

The campaign ran until 31 March and final figures are not yet available.


Written Question
Married People: Tax Allowances
Thursday 7th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much is being spent on advertising the Married Couple’s Allowance; when the campaign started; and for how long they intend it to run.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

As of March 24 2016, 585,487 couples had successfully applied for Marriage Allowance, including apporoximately 181,00 who applied in March.

The campaign ran until 31 March and final figures are not yet available.


Written Question
Married People: Tax Allowances
Thursday 7th April 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have taken up the Married Couple’s Allowance in each year since its introduction.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

As of March 24 2016, 585,487 couples had successfully applied for Marriage Allowance, including apporoximately 181,00 who applied in March.

The campaign ran until 31 March and final figures are not yet available.


Written Question
Public Finance
Tuesday 15th March 2016

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to have balanced the structural deficit excluding capital expenditure.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

The measure of the structural deficit that excludes capital is the ‘Cyclically-adjusted current budget’ (CACB). According to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s November 2015 ‘Economic and fiscal outlook’, the CACB is forecast to reach a surplus by 2017-18 of 0.5 per cent of GDP.


Written Question
National Insurance Contributions: Self-employed
Thursday 1st October 2015

Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with profits smaller than £10,000 paid (1) Class 2, and (2) Class 4, National Insurance contributions in each of the last five years, and what was the average amount paid.

Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley

Estimates of the number of self-employed individuals who employ other people are not available.

No Class 4 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are paid on profits below the Lower Profits Limit (LPL). Class 4 is only charged on profits above the LPL.

Estimates of the number of individuals paying self-employed National Insurance Contributions on profits below £10,000 and the average of their contributions are in the table attached.

Number of individuals with profits of £10,000 or less paying NI Contributions (thousands)

Average paid by individuals with profits of £10,000 or less paying NI Contributions (£)

Tax Year

Class 2 NIC

Class 4 NIC

Class 2 NIC

Class 4 NIC

2010-11

1,600

865

103

144

2011-12

1,720

575

107

107

2012-13

1,830

565

113

95

2013-14

1,890

494

116

89

2014-15

1,860

467

117

80

The level of the LPL for these years is in the table below.

Tax Year

Class 4 NIC Lower Profit Limit (LPL)

2010-11

£5,715

2011-12

£7,225

2012-13

£7,605

2013-14

£7,755

2014-15

£7,956