Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) other businesses potentially affected by the judgment in the Mazars v Woolway case; what estimate he has made of the potential average extra cost on (i) small and (ii) medium-sized businesses resulting from the judgment in the Mazars v Woolway case; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
In July 2015, the Supreme Court, in the Mazars v Woolway case, clarified existing rating law relating to communal spaces such as staircases, corridors and lifts. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a legal duty to adapt its practices to reflect the judgment.
The VOA assesses the value of property and not the businesses that occupy the property. As such, it does not hold information on whether the occupant of a property is a small or medium business.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 87 of the Budget 2016, and page 58 of the Autumn Statement 2016, how the shortfall of £100 million in estimated revenue from the Apprenticeship Levy in 2020-21 will be addressed.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The expected revenue from the Apprenticeship Levy has been revised down since Budget 2016 by around £100m a year. This reflects lower earnings growth as forecast by the Office of Budget Responsibility in their latest economic forecast which the Chancellor of the Exchequer responded to during Autumn Statement 2016.
The Government set out its spending plans for apprenticeships at the 2015 Spending Review. Funding for apprenticeships in England was increased and will reach £2.5 billion by 2019-20. These plans have not changed as a result of the change in forecast revenue from the Apprenticeship Levy set out in the Autumn Statement.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) further education colleges and (b) sixth form colleges paid in VAT in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes annual home VAT liabilities for each trade sector as defined by the ’Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities’. This is shown in Table 2.5 of the VAT Factsheet and includes home VAT liabilities for the ‘Education’ sector, and is available here: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Statistical%20Factsheets/VAT_Factsheet_16.xls
HMRC is not able to separate this data into amounts of VAT paid by further education and sixth form colleges.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on micro-businesses of changes included in the Finance Bill in relation to dividend taxation.
Answered by David Gauke
At Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced that the dividend tax credit will be replaced by a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance from April 2016, and that dividend tax rates would be amended from the same date.
A tax information and impact note setting out expected impacts was published on 9 December. This is available to view at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-changes-to-dividend-taxation/income-tax-changes-to-dividend-taxation.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish monitoring his Department undertook on the impact on micro-businesses of the changes to dividend taxation included in the Finance Bill.
Answered by David Gauke
At Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced that the dividend tax credit will be replaced by a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance from April 2016, and that dividend tax rates would be amended from the same date.
A tax information and impact note setting out expected impacts was published on 9 December. This is available to view at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-changes-to-dividend-taxation/income-tax-changes-to-dividend-taxation.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the 26 new Enterprise Zones are which were announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The full list of successful Enterprise Zones, which is available to view online at the link below, was published by DCLG following the Spending Review announcement:
www.gov.uk/government/news/the-new-enterprise-zones
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has overall ministerial responsibility for meeting the objectives set out in Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation, Cm9098, published in July 2015.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills have overall responsibility for meeting the objectives set out in “Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation”.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and attended by Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, is ultimately responsible for tracking and driving forward these objectives.
Lord O’Neill, Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, has day to day responsibility for implementing the commitments.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made on the feasibility study into the Brighton Main Line 2 proposals announced as part of the Summer Budget 2015 on 8 July 2015.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Last week, the government published the terms of reference of the London-South Coast Rail Corridor Study. This will consider the case for investment in existing and new capacity on this important corridor, including the feasibility of a second Brighton Main line, and will recommend priorities in the short, medium and long term.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of self-employed people to achieving the objectives set out in his Department's document, Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015.
Answered by David Gauke
Self-employment makes a vital contribution to the economy, with over 4.5 million people currently self-employed, accounting for 14.5% of total employment.
The government wants to raise productivity across all sectors and believes that self-employment can make an important contribution to achieving the objectives set out in Fixing the foundations.
The government has asked Julie Deane OBE to carry out an independent review, reporting in early 2016, of the contribution the self-employed make to the UK economy and consider how they can be better supported.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will amend the VAT status of sixth form colleges so that they are treated the same as academies, free schools, university technical colleges and schools.
Answered by David Gauke
I refer the Rt Hon Gentleman to my comments during the Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday 17th December 2013.