Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many staff work in the intergovernmental relations (IGR) Secretariat as of 7 November 2022; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost of running that Secretariat.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Cabinet Office has been working with the devolved governments to establish the IGR Secretariat. Recruitment for the Head of Secretariat role went live in November. The new Head of Secretariat will be asked to present options on the exact size and shape of the team, however UKG and the devolved governments have a shared ambition to ensure it is small and nimble in its operation.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further progress the Government has made on fiscal framework negotiations with the Scottish Government.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In June 2022, the UK Government and Scottish Government finalised arrangements for the independent report on tax and welfare Block Grant Adjustments, which was launched on the same day. Following a successful call for stakeholder evidence, the report is now being finalised by the independent authors and is expected to be presented to both governments imminently.
The two governments have also discussed the scope for the Fiscal Framework review while the independent report has been underway.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many graduate student visa holders are accompanied by five or six dependents.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office does not routinely publish data on the number of recipients of graduate student visas who are accompanied by dependants.
Information on our immigration routes is available as part of our transparency data and can be found at: Visas and Citizenship data: Q2 2022.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the answer of 24 October to question 59611 on Energy Bills Rebate, if he will take steps to ensure that households which have different energy meters for their home and garage or other building attached to the original dwelling do not receive two or more Energy Bill Support Scheme payments.
Answered by Graham Stuart
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to him on 24 October to Question 59611.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact assessment his Department has undertaken of the cancelled duty freeze on the Scotch Whisky industry given the effect of RPI.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
On 17 October, the Chancellor announced a reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan that have not been legislated for in parliament. This includes the freeze of alcohol duty rates from 1 February 2023. The purpose is to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
The alcohol duty uprating decision and interactions with the wider Alcohol Duty Review, which continues as planned, will be considered in due course.
The government will continue to assess the impact of its decisions on alcohol duties, including through ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of HMRC spirits excise duty receipts for 2021-22; and how the amount of revenue received by HM Treasury compares with projections for receipts for 2023-24.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
On 17 October, the Chancellor announced a reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan that have not been legislated for in parliament. This includes the freeze of alcohol duty rates from 1 February 2023. The purpose is to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
The alcohol duty uprating decision and interactions with the wider Alcohol Duty Review, which continues as planned, will be considered in due course.
The government will continue to assess the impact of its decisions on alcohol duties, including through ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of cancelling the freeze in spirits excise duty on jobs maintained by Scotch Whisky distilleries.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
On 17 October, the Chancellor announced a reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan that have not been legislated for in parliament. This includes the freeze of alcohol duty rates from 1 February 2023. The purpose is to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
The alcohol duty uprating decision and interactions with the wider Alcohol Duty Review, which continues as planned, will be considered in due course.
The government will continue to assess the impact of its decisions on alcohol duties, including through ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of cancelling freeze in spirits excise duty on investment by Scotch Whisky distilleries.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
On 17 October, the Chancellor announced a reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan that have not been legislated for in parliament. This includes the freeze of alcohol duty rates from 1 February 2023. The purpose is to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
The alcohol duty uprating decision and interactions with the wider Alcohol Duty Review, which continues as planned, will be considered in due course.
The government will continue to assess the impact of its decisions on alcohol duties, including through ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on fairness of households which have different energy suppliers for their (a) home and (b) garage and receive two Energy Bill Support Scheme payments as a result; and whether he will take steps to prevent this from occurring.
Answered by Graham Stuart
It is possible for individuals to benefit more than once from EBSS, where an individual is responsible for separate domestic contracts relating to more than one property.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people seeking refunds due to the changes made by the Morse Review have been refunded by HMRC to date.
Answered by Richard Fuller
I refer my hon. Member to the answer that was given to the Question UIN 59171.