Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the West Midlands Combined Authority on granting that Authority power to fund non-transport infrastructure projects.
Answered by David Gauke
The government agreed a mayoral devolution deal with the West Midlands on 17 November 2015, which will give the West Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority additional powers and funding. Discussions on implementation, between the combined authority and government, are ongoing.
As the government announced at the Autumn Statement, it will continue to work towards a second devolution deal with the West Midlands Combined Authority. It will also give mayoral combined authorities powers to borrow for their new functions, which will allow them to invest in economically productive infrastructure, subject to agreeing a borrowing cap with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department is offering to combined authorities to help fund non-transport infrastructure projects.
Answered by David Gauke
The government has agreed multiple mayoral devolution agreements across England. These agreements will give mayoral combined authorities significant new powers over improved transport, planning, skills and employment as well as giving them control of additional investment funds to boost economic growth.
As announced at the Autumn Statement, the government will also give mayoral combined authorities powers to borrow for their new functions, which will allow them to invest in economically productive infrastructure, subject to agreeing a borrowing cap with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect of granting the West Midlands Combined Authority the power to borrow to fund non-transport infrastructure projects.
Answered by David Gauke
As announced in the Autumn Statement, the government will give mayoral combined authorities powers to borrow for their new functions, which will allow them to invest in economically productive infrastructure, subject to agreeing a borrowing cap with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will grant borrowing powers to the West Midlands Combined Authority for non-transport infrastructure projects.
Answered by David Gauke
As announced in the Autumn Statement, the government will give mayoral combined authorities powers to borrow for their new functions, which will allow them to invest in economically productive infrastructure, subject to agreeing a borrowing cap with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a) landfill operators and (b) environmental bodies on the proposed removal of third party contributions from the Landfill Communities Fund; and whether he plans to change that proposal in response to those representations.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Since its introduction in 1996, the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) has contributed over £1.4bn to community projects in areas affected by a local landfill site and the government acknowledges the positive impact of this funding for communities. However, as the LCF is a tax credit scheme, it reduces tax revenues and we therefore have a responsibility to seek value for money for the taxpayer.
Despite difficult decisions on spending, the government has decided to retain and reform the LCF. Following representations on the issue of contributing third parties, the government softened proposals in this area at Budget 2016, and the requirement for a 10% landfill operator contribution has not been set in legislation. However, the government wants landfill operators to make a greater contribution to the LCF, and the regulator of the scheme, ENTRUST, has published guidance setting out this expectation.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on how many of the 35 individuals named under the US Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 currently hold assets in the UK.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The information requested is not held by HM Treasury.
The Treasury does not routinely hold information regarding ownership of UK assets.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were rejected by the Financial Ombudsman Service on grounds of jurisdiction in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.
The questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were rejected by the Financial Ombudsman Service on the grounds of failure to meet the time limits for such complaints in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.
The questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment on whether businesses in Dudley North constituency will be at a competitive disadvantage to businesses in Scotland when the Scottish Government halves the Air Passenger Duty for all flights leaving from Scotland.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government is currently undertaking a consultation into options to support regional airports from the impacts of air passenger duty devolution. We are carefully considering the evidence we have received from stakeholders and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the current proportion of total UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) revenues raised from Birmingham Airport and (b) what proportion of total UK APD will be generated at Birmingham Airport if Scotland halves its APD rates.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Air Passenger Duty is payable by airlines and not on a per airport basis. Therefore HMRC does not collect the data to produce a reliable estimate.