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Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Import Duties
Wednesday 26th October 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to confer eligibility for temporary importation vehicle relief under the HMRC form C110 on people who have arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme for the full duration of their visas.

Answered by Richard Fuller - Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Ukrainian refugees entering the UK temporarily under the Homes for Ukraine scheme do not need to declare their personal vehicles to customs, pay any customs duty, or import VAT on their vehicle, provided the vehicle is taxed and registered in its home country.

This is provided for under the Temporary Admission (TA) procedure which allows certain goods to be imported into the UK temporarily, with total relief from customs duty and import VAT. Under TA, imported goods or belongings must not be altered (but can be repaired to maintain their condition) and must be re-exported within a set time period (normally 6 months).

Ukrainian refugees staying in the UK longer than 6 months under the terms of their visas can apply for an extension of the TA set-period by contacting HMRC’s National Temporary Admission Section (NTAS) at: ntis@hmrc.gov.uk. If they provide NTAS with a copy of their Biometric Residence Permit, or any other evidence of their permission to remain in the UK, HMRC will grant an extension up to 3 years.

The C110 is an optional form which provides evidence that the vehicle is under temporary importation status if stopped on public roads by the police or a customs official.


Written Question
Voluntary Contributions
Friday 21st October 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the amount the Government received in voluntary contributions via direct bank transfer to the Treasury in the 2021-22 financial year.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

The total amount received from voluntary contributions specifically for the reduction of the national debt is published annually in the annual Report and Accounts of the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt receipts and payments, which can be found on the Debt Management Office’s website. The web link to the publicly available information is provided as follow:

https://www.dmo.gov.uk/media/hf5l1t1t/crndrep2022.pdf
Written Question
Voluntary Contributions
Friday 21st October 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to streamline the process of making voluntary contributions to the Government.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

Individuals can make a voluntary contribution to the Government for the purposes of public spending or reducing the National Debt. Individuals can arrange a direct bank transfer to HM Treasury for donations in general towards public expenditure or can make a contribution to the Donations and Bequests account in the form of cash or UK government securities for reducing the National Debt. There are no plans to change the process for making a voluntary contribution, as it is clearly set out in guidelines published by the Debt Management Office.


Written Question
Mortgages
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department has plans to help support people selling their homes following a number of banks withdrawing mortgages.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

There remains a broad range of mortgage products on the market, and those looking to take out a mortgage are encouraged to shop around and speak to a mortgage broker.

The pricing and availability of loans is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. Likewise, it would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in individual house sales.


Written Question
Remote Working: Tax Allowances
Tuesday 20th September 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to increase the maximum tax relief claim for job expenses for working from home, in the context of rising gas and electricity costs.

Answered by Richard Fuller - Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Eligible employees can claim tax relief on the allowance of £6 per week without the need to provide evidence of expenditure. The amount was increased from £4 per week in April 2020.

As with all aspect of the tax system, the Government keeps tax reliefs under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken in the context of the wider public finances.

Employees who are eligible for tax relief for working from home can claim relief on the actual amount of additional household costs, providing they can provide evidence of the increased amount.


Written Question
UK Infrastructure Bank: Staff
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many UK Infrastructure Bank staff have been appointed to be based in (a) Leeds and (b) rest of the UK as of 5 September 2022.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

At 5 September 2022, the UK Infrastructure Bank has a total workforce of 160, including interim contractors and government secondees. More than 40% of this total workforce are based in Leeds.

Of these, 15 are permanent employees of which 10 are contracted to Leeds and 5 are contracted to London. All those contracted to London transferred on their existing terms from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. The Bank’s Chief Executive and the permanent Executive Directors are all contracted to Leeds.

The Bank is now recruiting its permanent workforce. By late 2023, it is intended that 90% of the Bank’s staff will be based outside of London, with the majority of those in Leeds.


Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 06 Sep 2022
Employee Share Ownership Schemes

"My right hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Perhaps one reason why there has been such a long period without an increase in take-up is the way that people are employed. The nature of work is changing: more and more people are in the so-called gig economy—platform workers—where they …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: Employee Share Ownership Schemes

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 28 Jun 2022
Delivery of Public Services

"My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech, including on privatisation, but there is another point, which is that the poorest in our society pay the most for services. They pay the most for banking services, and they pay the most for energy through prepaid meters and other things. We …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: Delivery of Public Services

Written Question
Fraud: Debts
Monday 6th June 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if will he publish the internal HMRC guidelines on dealing with liabilities accrued by victims of fraud.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

The relevant guidance is already publicly available in HMRC’s Admin Law manual. HMRC responds to liabilities accrued by the victims of fraud based on the individual circumstances of each case. HMRC Commissioners’ discretionary powers are set out in the Admin Law manual.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 17 May 2022
Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases

"In this Queen’s Speech, the Government are faced with the twin challenges of the cost of living crisis and a climate crisis, in a period when we are emerging from the greatest pandemic in 100 years. The times call for a big, brave response—a game-changing policy that makes energy secure, …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases