Written Question
Thursday 13th February 2020
Asked by:
Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question
to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of trends in the level of debt in China on the world financial system.
Answered by John Glen
As highlighted by several institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, there are material risks associated with indebtedness in China.
The Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England, which is responsible for monitoring risks to financial stability in the UK, reflected the risk of a severe recession in China, which would encompass factors such as its debt levels, in its 2019 stress tests of UK banks. The FPC concluded that the UK banking system would be resilient to this risk.
Written Question
Monday 8th July 2019
Asked by:
Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question
to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has taken steps to release assets held by the Bank of England to the Official Representative to the UK of interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Glen
Assets held on behalf of foreign central banks are a matter for the Bank of England. HM Treasury only has direct control over the UK Government’s own holdings of gold within its official reserves, which are held at the Bank of England.
Speech in General Committees - Mon 24 Jun 2019
The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2019
"Given that the Prime Minister and others, including the Conservative leadership candidates, say that we are going to leave the EU on 31 October, why is the Minister rushing to comply rather than ignoring this and waiting until then?..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2019
Speech in General Committees - Mon 24 Jun 2019
The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2019
"I understand the build-up—it always takes this long—but given that Britain may leave the EU in only a few months, why does the Minister feel it necessary to do this now?..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2019
Speech in General Committees - Mon 24 Jun 2019
The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2019
"May I help the right hon. Gentleman with his difficulty? The reason the European Commission behaves like that towards the British is because the British civil service rolls over to it. Were our civil service prepared to be as robust as the French are in response, there could be a …..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2019
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 07 May 2019
Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill
"This has been a pretty sorry story of delay, but I welcome the fact that the Bill is now here, given the lack of legislative business. Will the Minister say when the Government will bring forward legislation on increasing the penalties available to the courts for those guilty of animal …..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 02 Apr 2019
Puppy Smuggling
"I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way; he rightly identifies the large sums of money that can be made either by individuals or by organised crime gangs. These criminals appear to make a very fine cost-benefit calculation, which reinforces the need, expressed by a number of animal charities, to …..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Puppy Smuggling
Speech in General Committees - Tue 26 Mar 2019
Draft Food and Farming (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
"I seek a bit of clarity from the Minister; I was just looking through the documentation. Will we just carry on with the EU-directed regime, which is based not on science, but on hysteria against genetically modified organisms—particularly genetically modified crops? Alternatively, will we be able to use Brexit to …..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Draft Food and Farming (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
Speech in General Committees - Tue 26 Mar 2019
Draft Food and Farming (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
"There is a world of difference between watering down regulations that are clearly of proven scientific benefit to consumers, animals and the environment, and policies that are based purely on campaigns with a heavy degree of hysteria—particularly those against genetically modified crops, which have no proven negative impact on the …..."Lord Spellar - View Speech
View all Lord Spellar (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Draft Food and Farming (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
Written Question
Monday 25th March 2019
Asked by:
Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question
to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which stakeholders and other Government Departments he consulted with prior to his announcement of a ban on gas boilers in new dwellings from 2025.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery, and the Future Homes Standard went through the usual approvals process for Spring Statement measures. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel