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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"My hon. Friend talks about people applauding on their doorsteps; when I put a question to the Prime Minister when he was talking about his tax increase, he said that the Government do not pay care workers. Apparently, somebody else does, but does my hon. Friend agree that the Government …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"The Tories are keen to talk up the importance of work, and I agree with them on the importance of work—good paid jobs must be the answer—but they also allow many firms to go to the wall. The latest in our area is the world-renowned Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company, …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"There is some good news this afternoon, because I understand that the Government have actually helped out and we have some form of agreement with CF Fertilisers—the company that makes fertiliser from natural gas and produces 60% of the country’s CO2, which is so desperately needed for …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"Will my hon. Friend give way?..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way again. He will not know this, but I spent a long part of my career in the gas industry. I remember taking a group of women journalists offshore to the Rough field, off the Humberside and Yorkshire coast. Does …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"The issues my hon. Friend raises will also result in more debt. Is he surprised to learn that debt in this country is 123% of household incomes and that there have been 27,662 individual insolvencies in the second quarter of this year? People are in trouble now, and if this …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"I well remember the Thatcher Government, when interest rates went up and up and up and up. Even those on good wages were struggling, so it was even more difficult for others. There is a storm ahead for many people. Does my hon. Friend agree that savings are very important? …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"My hon. Friend might not know this, but I was in the gas industry for many years, as I mentioned earlier, and I was involved in a warm homes system. We went door to door, systematically insulating people’s homes and windows doing all manner of other things, but the current …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 21 Sep 2021
Working People’s Finances: Government Policy

"My hon. Friend talks about tax rates. He will be interested to know that a tweet has just come in from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation saying that

“191 Conservative seats will see more than a third of working-age families with children affected by the cut to #Universal Credit and Working …..."
Alex Cunningham - View Speech

View all Alex Cunningham (Lab - Stockton North) contributions to the debate on: Working People’s Finances: Government Policy
Written Question
Offshore Industry: Off-payroll Working
Tuesday 25th May 2021

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy objectives are in extending IR35 to offshore energy workers in the (a) oil and gas and (b) renewables sector.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

The off-payroll working rules (commonly known as IR35) have been in place for over twenty years and are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own company, usually a personal service company (PSC), pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) as those who are directly employed.

However, non-compliance with these rules was widespread. It is estimated that this non-compliance in the private and voluntary sectors would cost the Exchequer £1.3 billion per year by 2023/24 if not addressed, denying the taxpayer significant funding for public services. This is not a new tax; the reform will improve compliance with existing rules by moving the responsibility for determining whether the off-payroll working rules apply from the individual's company to the client engaging them.

The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published at Spring Budget 2021 sets out that nationally, the reform of the off-payroll working rules is expected to affect about 180,000 individuals across all sectors outside the public sector who are working through their own companies, and who would be employed if engaged directly. No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact on offshore energy workers.

The TIIN can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/off-payroll-working-rules-from-april-2021/off-payroll-working-rules-from-april-2021.

Falling within the off-payroll working tax rules does not change an individual's status for employment rights; there are separate legal frameworks for determining employment status for tax and for rights, with no direct link between the two.