Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in light of the fact that the Duchy of Cornwall operates in the private sector, how much (1) capital gains, and (2) corporation, tax has been paid by the Duchy in each of the past five years.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate and is not subject to corporation tax. The Duke of Cornwall (The Prince of Wales) pays tax as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation [1]. He does not pay capital gains tax since he does not receive the Duchy’s capital gains. The Duke pays income tax voluntarily on his income from the Duchy of Cornwall to the extent that is not used to meet official expenditure.
There is no requirement placed upon private individuals to disclose their accounts or tax to public scrutiny. However, it should be noted that HRH The Prince of Wales does publish an Annual Review [2].
[2] https://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/annual-review/2018-2019
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the use of publicly funded helicopters and charter planes by the Royal family is restricted to use for official engagements; and if so, which members of the Royal family are permitted to use such transport.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
The Sovereign Grant meets the cost of official journeys undertaken by or in support of The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. Travel by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge between residences is categorised as official.
The Sovereign Grant does not fund any private travel costs. The cost of any private use by the Royal Family of Sovereign Grant facilities is fully reimbursed.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether data is available on how the Sovereign Grant is spent; and if so, where that data is available.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
Each year the Royal Household publishes the Sovereign Grant and Sovereign Grant Reserve Annual Report and Accounts, a full report on Royal public finances. The 2018-19 report was published on 25th June 2019, and can be found on the Monarchy website [1].
[1] https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media/final_sovereign_grant_for_website.pdf
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money was raised by the Crown Estates in each of the last five years; and how any such money was spent.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
The Crown Estate publishes its Integrated Annual Report and Accounts each year. The latest Report for the year 2018-19 is available on The Crown Estate’s website.[1].
As set out in the 2018-19 Report, the net revenue profit The Crown Estate has generated in each of the past five years, are as follows:
2018-19 = £343.5 million;
2017-18 = £329.4 million;
2016-17 = £328.8 million;
2015-16 = £304.1 million; and
2014-15 = £285.1 million.
The Crown Estate generates valuable revenue for the Exchequer, and over the past ten years, the business has returned a total of £2.8 billion into the Consolidated Fund, contributing to vital public services such as the NHS and policing.
[1] https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/our-business/2019-annual-report/
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which members of the Royal family are in receipt of funds from the Sovereign Grant; and how much each such individual receives annually.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
No member of the Royal Family receives an allowance from the Sovereign Grant. The Sovereign Grant Act 2011 came into effect from 1 April 2012 and consolidated the funding provided to support the official duties of The Queen and maintain the Occupied Royal Palaces. Until 31 March 2012, funding had been provided under the Civil List and the Grants-in-aid for the Maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces, Royal Travel and Communications and Information.
The Court Circular, available on the Monarchy website[1] is the official record of past royal engagements, detailing engagements undertaken by all members of the Royal Family.
[1] https://www.royal.uk/court-circular
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration is given to the level of carbon emissions to the mode of transport made available from public funds to any member of the Royal Family.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
The Royal Household recognises that its operations and activities have an impact on the environment (including travel). When deciding on the most appropriate means of travel – the following factors are taken into account: safety, security, dignity, the need to minimise disruption for others, the effective use of time, environmental impact, and cost.
The programme of overseas visits which is funded by the Sovereign Grant is determined by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and approved by the Royal Visits Committee according to agreed priorities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which members of the Royal family receive free travel in connection with (1) their royal duties, and (2) for private purposes; what was the source of the funding for any such travel; and what was the cost in 2018/19 for such travel for (a) royal duties, and (b) private purposes.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords)
The Sovereign Grant meets the cost of official journeys undertaken by or in support of The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. As set out in the Sovereign Grant and Sovereign Grant Reserve: Annual Report and Accounts 2018-19, available on the Monarchy website[1] the cost of travel funded by the Sovereign Grant for the financial year ending 31 March 2019 was £4.6 million.
A list of journeys undertaken by members of the Royal Family and their staff during 2018-19 which had travel costs of £15,000 or more, met from the Sovereign Grant, is also available on the Monarchy website [2]. The travel costs for the tours also include the costs associated with staff undertaking visits in advance in order to plan the tour programmes.
No public money is provided to fund travel of members of the Royal Family for private purposes.
[1] https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media/final_sovereign_grant_for_website.pdf
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cross-Channel transport companies have (1) applied for, and (2) received, Economic Operator Registration and Identification numbers to enable cross-Channel transport after Brexit; and what percentage of cross-Channel unitised transport those companies represent.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, businesses will need to have a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number to trade goods in to or out of the UK. Since December 2018, through to 14 July 2019, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued 66,000 EORI numbers, which are still live. HMRC has issued UK EORI numbers to all traders who registered for a number and did not already possess one at the time of their registration. HMRC does not hold data on how many of these traders are cross-Channel transport companies.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the Aggregates Levy for primary aggregates to encourage the use of secondary aggregates including that obtained from china clay.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
At Budget 2018, the government announced that the rate of Aggregates Levy would be frozen for 2019-20. The government also announced its intention to return the Levy to index-linking in future. Decisions on the rate of Aggregates Levy from 2020 will be taken at Budget 2019.
Following the conclusion of long-running litigation in February this year, the government launched a comprehensive review of the Levy at Spring Statement 2019.
As part of this, the government has convened a working group of industry and sector experts who are providing input and challenge. Additionally, the government is engaging widely with stakeholders throughout the UK and has requested written representations (by 5th July). The government will announce next steps by the end of the year.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to announce the benefits in kind rate for company cars for the years after 2021; and what assessment they have made of the impact on car owners of the rates not yet being publicly available.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The government aims to publish emissions-based company car tax rates in advance to help employees and industry plan.
However, as emissions testing changes in 2020, the government is reviewing the impact of the new Worldwide Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) on vehicle taxes. The government will respond shortly to the review.