Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax-free sales were made where the goods were delivered straight to an address outside the UK in Great Britain in 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Goods exported from the UK can be zero rated for VAT purposes provided export conditions are met, although local taxes and duties remain due upon import into the destination country. UK VAT registered exporters are required to account for this in their VAT records and retain evidence to prove the goods have left the UK to support the zero-rating. However, the reporting requirements are such that HMRC does not hold the specific information requested.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's Tourism Recovery Plan: Update on Delivery, published in March 2023, what assessment he has made of the impact of the removal of the VAT-free shopping scheme on businesses.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government engaged with varied stakeholders and produced analysis on the cost of VAT-free shopping before withdrawing the previous scheme.
Our analysis, which took increased tourist spending into account, found that introducing worldwide VAT-free shopping would come at a fiscal cost of £2 billion each year.
Furthermore, the OBR’s assessment of the previous VAT-free shopping scheme showed that its withdrawal would have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the average costs incurred by a leaseholder due to the building safety regime since 28 April 2022.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Question 180227 on 24 April 2023.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress her Department has made on negotiating a free trade agreement with India.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
I am pleased to confirm that round 8 is currently underway in India.
As you know, both nations have come to the table with the very highest of ambitions and a willingness to work together towards a mutually beneficial deal.
We are now working through substantive issues like goods market access, services, and investment, and are starting to see a way forward that works for both sides.
However, we will only sign when we have a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reason his Department has not appointed a Chair to the Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board as recommended in the Independent Review into Criminal Legal Aid; and what his Department's timetable is for making that appointment.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board (CLAAB) was established following Lord Bellamy’s Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review (CLAIR) recommendation that an Advisory Board be established to take a wider view and encourage a more joined-up approach to criminal legal aid within the criminal justice system.
Board meetings take place quarterly and there have been two meetings to date - the first on 28 October 2022 and the second on 24 January 2023.
The CLAAB’s membership currently includes representatives from the Bar Council, the Law Society, Criminal Bar Association, London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) and Ministry of Justice officials.
We are currently considering the issue of the Chair of the Board and will make an announcement in due course.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on campaigns to promote the cessation of smoking in financial year 2021-22.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 2023 to Question 125324.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Eye Health Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services remains current.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
NHS England are currently updating the Policy Book for General Ophthalmic Services, previously known as the Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services, and this will be published in due course. The policy book is subject to regular reviews to ensure it reflects contractual and regulatory changes, and NHS England operating procedures.
The statutory duties placed upon NHS England to deliver Primary Ophthalmic Services are set out in section 115 of the NHS Act 2006. The Policy book published by NHS England provides guidance for commissioners in managing General Ophthalmic Services contracts in line with the NHS Act and associated regulations. This includes processes for contract applications, contractual compliance and post-payment verification, as well as the general duties that NHS England must comply with, as set out in the NHS Act.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what regulatory measures are in place to help ensure that NHS England complies with the statutory duties and procedures set out in the Eye Health Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
NHS England are currently updating the Policy Book for General Ophthalmic Services, previously known as the Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services, and this will be published in due course. The policy book is subject to regular reviews to ensure it reflects contractual and regulatory changes, and NHS England operating procedures.
The statutory duties placed upon NHS England to deliver Primary Ophthalmic Services are set out in section 115 of the NHS Act 2006. The Policy book published by NHS England provides guidance for commissioners in managing General Ophthalmic Services contracts in line with the NHS Act and associated regulations. This includes processes for contract applications, contractual compliance and post-payment verification, as well as the general duties that NHS England must comply with, as set out in the NHS Act.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the (a) Building Safety Act 2022 and (b) related regulation to introduce requirements for periodic hydronic balancing of hydronic domestic heating systems; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government has no current plans to legislate to mandate periodic hydronic balancing of hydronic heating systems. Balancing of a heating system is something that is routinely done as part of a commissioning process and is therefore more suited to technical guidance. However, if my Hon. Friend would like to discuss this further I’m happy to meet with him.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the hydronic balancing of hydronic domestic heating systems every time a fossil fuel boiler is installed or serviced; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is clear that hydraulic balancing is an expected practice to be completed by heating engineers when a heating appliance, including a natural gas boiler, is installed in a wet central heating system.
The Government is seeking views on how to ensure hydraulic balancing and other installation practices take place at the time of install and how and whether to encourage hydraulic balancing as part of heating system servicing, through the consultation on Improving Boiler Standards and Efficiency, which closes on 21 March.