Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to the impact on small and medium sized businesses, including independent retailers, in respect of the most recent EU Commission proposals for a pan-European tobacco track-and-trace scheme, including start-up and annual running costs.
Answered by Lord Bates
The government has been working on the draft implementing legislation for Articles 15 and 16 of the EU Tobacco Products Directive with the Commission and other Member States. We are aware of concerns raised by businesses affected and have been working to try to ensure that the system adopted is effective, efficient and proportionate in tackling the trade in illicit tobacco products which puts public health at risk and avoids the payment of duty. This includes working to ensure that the burdens imposed by new EU regulations are kept to a minimum. A number of amendments have been made to the proposed regulations in line with meeting these objectives.
The Directive provides for the costs of the scheme, including the necessary equipment for those involved in the supply chain to be met by the tobacco industry and for the identification codes need by independent retailers to be obtained by their suppliers on their behalf if desired.
It has not been possible for the UK to produce its own assessment of the overall business impacts or effectiveness in tackling the illicit trade due to the continuing changes to the proposed regulations.
In responding to the consultation on possible licensing of the tobacco supply chain, the government considered the additional controls that would be offered by measures under this Directive and concluded that there was currently no case for an additional licensing scheme operated by HM Revenue & Customs to tackle the illicit trade.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the most recent EU Commission proposals for a pan-European tobacco track-and-trace scheme in the light of their consultation on a possible tobacco licensing consultation that states that "The government does not consider that the case has been made for an additional tobacco supply-chain licensing system aimed specifically at reducing the illicit trade.”
Answered by Lord Bates
The government has been working on the draft implementing legislation for Articles 15 and 16 of the EU Tobacco Products Directive with the Commission and other Member States. We are aware of concerns raised by businesses affected and have been working to try to ensure that the system adopted is effective, efficient and proportionate in tackling the trade in illicit tobacco products which puts public health at risk and avoids the payment of duty. This includes working to ensure that the burdens imposed by new EU regulations are kept to a minimum. A number of amendments have been made to the proposed regulations in line with meeting these objectives.
The Directive provides for the costs of the scheme, including the necessary equipment for those involved in the supply chain to be met by the tobacco industry and for the identification codes need by independent retailers to be obtained by their suppliers on their behalf if desired.
It has not been possible for the UK to produce its own assessment of the overall business impacts or effectiveness in tackling the illicit trade due to the continuing changes to the proposed regulations.
In responding to the consultation on possible licensing of the tobacco supply chain, the government considered the additional controls that would be offered by measures under this Directive and concluded that there was currently no case for an additional licensing scheme operated by HM Revenue & Customs to tackle the illicit trade.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to the likely effectiveness in dealing with the illicit tobacco trade of the most recent EU Commission proposals for a pan-European tobacco track-and-trace scheme.
Answered by Lord Bates
The government has been working on the draft implementing legislation for Articles 15 and 16 of the EU Tobacco Products Directive with the Commission and other Member States. We are aware of concerns raised by businesses affected and have been working to try to ensure that the system adopted is effective, efficient and proportionate in tackling the trade in illicit tobacco products which puts public health at risk and avoids the payment of duty. This includes working to ensure that the burdens imposed by new EU regulations are kept to a minimum. A number of amendments have been made to the proposed regulations in line with meeting these objectives.
The Directive provides for the costs of the scheme, including the necessary equipment for those involved in the supply chain to be met by the tobacco industry and for the identification codes need by independent retailers to be obtained by their suppliers on their behalf if desired.
It has not been possible for the UK to produce its own assessment of the overall business impacts or effectiveness in tackling the illicit trade due to the continuing changes to the proposed regulations.
In responding to the consultation on possible licensing of the tobacco supply chain, the government considered the additional controls that would be offered by measures under this Directive and concluded that there was currently no case for an additional licensing scheme operated by HM Revenue & Customs to tackle the illicit trade.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the most recent EU Commission proposals for a pan-European tobacco track-and-trace scheme.
Answered by Lord Bates
The government has been working on the draft implementing legislation for Articles 15 and 16 of the EU Tobacco Products Directive with the Commission and other Member States. We are aware of concerns raised by businesses affected and have been working to try to ensure that the system adopted is effective, efficient and proportionate in tackling the trade in illicit tobacco products which puts public health at risk and avoids the payment of duty. This includes working to ensure that the burdens imposed by new EU regulations are kept to a minimum. A number of amendments have been made to the proposed regulations in line with meeting these objectives.
The Directive provides for the costs of the scheme, including the necessary equipment for those involved in the supply chain to be met by the tobacco industry and for the identification codes need by independent retailers to be obtained by their suppliers on their behalf if desired.
It has not been possible for the UK to produce its own assessment of the overall business impacts or effectiveness in tackling the illicit trade due to the continuing changes to the proposed regulations.
In responding to the consultation on possible licensing of the tobacco supply chain, the government considered the additional controls that would be offered by measures under this Directive and concluded that there was currently no case for an additional licensing scheme operated by HM Revenue & Customs to tackle the illicit trade.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the content of the OECD Economic Survey of the United Kingdom 2017 before agreeing to the same report being launched in the buildings of HM Treasury.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is an independent international organisation, and its Economic Survey of the United Kingdom 2017 represents its own views. The government welcomes regular surveillance of the UK economy by international institutions as a source of external challenge and scrutiny.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of predictions made by the OECD, in the light of the statement made by OECD Director General, Jose Angel Gurria on 27 April 2016, which suggested that a UK exit from the EU would immediately hit confidence and would result in UK GDP being reduced by 3 per cent by 2020.
Answered by Lord Bates
The government has not made an assessment of the accuracy of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) predictions. The OECD is an independent international organisation, and its analysis of the UK economy represents its own views.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to prohibit credit card companies from placing pressure on shops to refuse to accept cash payments; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Bates
Cash continues to play a key role in the UK economy, making up around half of all payments. The Government remains committed to widespread free access to cash and consumer choice in payments. The Government would not be able to prohibit credit card companies from placing pressure on shops to refuse to accept cash payments as this is a commercial decision. However, given the continued importance of cash we would not expect credit card companies to do so.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the creation of an international financial services regulator to take on the role of financial services regulation currently undertaken by EU and UK organisations.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
We retain our commitment to close international regulatory cooperation, including with the remaining EU. The detail of how existing cooperation will translate into our future relationship will be an important part of discussions with European partners.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many imported bottles of wine were sampled in each of the last five years, in order to check for fraud and forgery, broken down by samples from (1) EU member states, and (2) the rest of the world.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The information requested is not held.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for protecting the Exchequer from alcohol duty fraud. The majority of this fraud in the UK relates to the diversion of genuine products, without payment of duty. HMRC has a published strategy for dealing with alcohol fraud. This is risk-based and sampling does not form part of this approach.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by the Cambridge Centre for Business Research in its report <i>The Macro-Economic Impact of Brexit</i>, as revised in January 2017, which concluded that the pre-referendum analysis by HM Treasury of the potential impact of Brexit on various outcomes for trade outside the EU was flawed, who drafted the forecasts, and what ministerial scrutiny was given to those forecasts prior to publication.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
HM Treasury published its analysis on the long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives in April 2016, and it was approved by ministers.
The Government continues to undertake a range of analysis to inform the UK’s position for the upcoming EU exit negotiations. We are seeking the best possible arrangements for the United Kingdom and the work being conducted reflects this.