Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make Police Scotland eligible for VAT refunds.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Government has no intention of bringing forward legislative proposals to make Police Scotland eligible for VAT refunds.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what role the new money guidance body will play in coordinating financial capability initiatives.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The government is committed to ensuring that members of the public are given the help they need to make informed financial decisions. This is why the government published a paper at Budget - Public Financial Guidance Review: Proposal for Consultation. The paper set out plans to create a new money guidance body which will identify gaps in the financial guidance market and commission targeted debt advice, money guidance and financial capability projects to fill those gaps.
The paper published at Budget sought views on how the new money guidance body should best deliver guidance services. The consultation closed on Wednesday 8 June and the government will publish a response in the Autumn.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the Government determines the Scottish Government's allocation of non-cash departmental expenditure budget for student loans.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Barnett Formula is applied in the normal way to calculate the Scottish Government’s allocation of non-cash departmental expenditure budget for student loans.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Exchequer received in spirit duty between April and December (a) 2015 and (b) 2014.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Monthly receipts from duties on spirits that are released for consumption in the UK are published in HMRC’s monthly publication ‘HMRC Tax Receipts and National Insurance Contributions for the UK’:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk
Receipts for December 2015 have not yet been published. In compliance with the UK Statistics Code of Practice, the provisional figures for December 2015 receipts will be released in the next publication on 22 January 2016.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the introduction of a tax on food with a high sugar content; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect of food taxes on improving dietary choices.
Answered by David Gauke
At present the Government has no plans to introduce new taxes on food and drinks.
The Government is using a range of approaches to promote health outcomes, including working with the food and drink industry to encourage the reformulation of products. A comprehensive ‘childhood obesity strategy’ will be launched later this year.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2015 to Question 6981, whether agricultural vehicles used for journeys of more than 1.5 kilometres on public roads will be exempt from paying Vehicle Excise Duty.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for agricultural vehicles applies to vehicles used on public roads for journeys of up to 1.5 kilometres. The reforms to Vehicle Excise Duty announced at the Summer Budget will apply to cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017 and will not include any changes to the exemption for agricultural vehicles
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans that agricultural vehicles will be exempt from the proposed changes to vehicle excise duty announced in the Summer Budget 2015.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Agricultural vehicles used solely for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture or forestry are exempt from paying Vehicle Excise Duty.