Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect UK consumers and businesses following Wirecard AG filing for insolvency. [T]
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Wirecard AG, the German payments provider, entered administration last week. It has a UK subsidiary, Wirecard Card Solution Ltd (Wirecard UK), which is FCA regulated. This subsidiary is not in administration.
Last week, the FCA temporarily applied restrictions to Wirecard UK’s business while the firm ensured it could safeguard customers’ money. The government worked closely with the FCA to understand and mitigate the impact of this measure – for example, the DWP worked to ensure those who received benefits into accounts using Wirecard UK had an alternate means of receiving payments.
The firm has now been able to demonstrate that it has met the necessary conditions, and the restrictions were lifted on Tuesday 30 June. Customers can access their money as usual.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish an analysis of the effect of welfare reforms since 2010 (a) on welfare recipients, (b) on people with disabilities, (c) by geographical area and (d) on single parents, families, and people of working age compared to pensioners.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government publishes distributional analysis at each fiscal event which shows how households across the income distribution are affected by this Government’s tax, welfare, and public service spending changes.
The most recent assessment was at Autumn Statement 2014, which showed that the richest 20% of households continue to make the greatest contribution to reducing the deficit, both in cash terms and as a percentage of their income.
This analysis is not available in breakdowns by categories other than the equivalised income and expenditure distributions.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2015 to Questions 223142 and 223143, when he expects to publish the breakdown of the estimated numbers of deaths resulting in inheritance tax liabilities by Westminster parliamentary constituencies for years later than 2011-12.
Answered by David Gauke
Updates to Table 12-12 of the Inheritance Tax Official Statistics covering estimated numbers of deaths resulting in Inheritance Tax liabilities for Westminster parliamentary constituencies are published annually at the end of July each year. The July 2015 update will include the estimated number of deaths resulting in Inheritance Tax liabilities in 2012-13.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much inheritance tax was paid by estates in each parliamentary constituency, based on the primary residence of the deceased in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12, (d) 2012-13 and (e) 2013-14.
Answered by David Gauke
The information requested about Inheritance Tax payments could only be provided at a disproportionate cost and information about the whereabouts of the primary residences of beneficiaries is not available.
Information about the levels of Inheritance Tax liabilities arising from deaths in Government Office Regions is published as part of the Official Statistics updates. The latest version of this table has been published at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338989/140729Table12-10DUChecked.pdf. Breakdowns of this data by Westminster Parliamentary constituencies could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
A breakdown of the estimated numbers of deaths resulting in Inheritance Tax liabilities by Westminster Parliamentary constituencies is published as part of the annual Inheritance Tax Official Statistics updates. The most recent year for which this data is available is 2011-12.
a) Estimates for 2009-10 deaths are available from the National Archives at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130104134347/http://hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/inheritance/table12-12.pdf.
b) Estimates for 2010-11 deaths are available from the National Archives at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140104134347/http://hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/inheritance/table12-12.pdf.
c) Estimates for 2011-12 deaths are available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-provisional-numbers-of-taxpaying-estates-passing-on-death-in-2010-to-2011-by-regions-and-parliamentary-constituencies.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the incidence of liability for the payment of inheritance tax was in each parliamentary constituency, based on the primary residence of the deceased in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12, (d) 2012-13 and (e) 2013-14.
Answered by David Gauke
The information requested about Inheritance Tax payments could only be provided at a disproportionate cost and information about the whereabouts of the primary residences of beneficiaries is not available.
Information about the levels of Inheritance Tax liabilities arising from deaths in Government Office Regions is published as part of the Official Statistics updates. The latest version of this table has been published at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338989/140729Table12-10DUChecked.pdf. Breakdowns of this data by Westminster Parliamentary constituencies could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
A breakdown of the estimated numbers of deaths resulting in Inheritance Tax liabilities by Westminster Parliamentary constituencies is published as part of the annual Inheritance Tax Official Statistics updates. The most recent year for which this data is available is 2011-12.
a) Estimates for 2009-10 deaths are available from the National Archives at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130104134347/http://hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/inheritance/table12-12.pdf.
b) Estimates for 2010-11 deaths are available from the National Archives at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140104134347/http://hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/inheritance/table12-12.pdf.
c) Estimates for 2011-12 deaths are available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-provisional-numbers-of-taxpaying-estates-passing-on-death-in-2010-to-2011-by-regions-and-parliamentary-constituencies.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the applicability of VAT to vouchers for spectacles and other prescriptions under the voucher scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Gauke
The NHS optical voucher scheme provides financial support by way of a voucher to eligible persons to help them buy goods such as spectacles. The vouchers are simply a means of financial support; the VAT consequences result from the goods and services that the voucher is used to buy. Therefore, VAT exemption will apply to the eye test, fitting services and any medical treatment of an eye condition and VAT will apply to the spectacles, irrespective of how payment is made.